


He That Cannot Obey

by SterekShipper



Series: Cursed Theo [3]
Category: teen wolf - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Cursed Theo, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Alternating, Post canon, emerging relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 49,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28935156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SterekShipper/pseuds/SterekShipper
Summary: What happens when Theo manages to stumble upon yet another witch?Will Theo ever learn to think before he speaks, and what will it mean for Theo and Liam?
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Series: Cursed Theo [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1941367
Comments: 244
Kudos: 37





	1. Theo

**Author's Note:**

> It’s finally here! Part 3! 😁
> 
> I apologise for the wait. This part of the story decided it needed longer to form, and just as I was getting into the rhythm, I had to reset my phone and lost all my work. 😬😱
> 
> This is what backups are for. Unfortunately, retyping thousands of words is a slow process. 😓
> 
> Anyway, I made it and I happy to finally share it with y’all. Here’s hoping you like it. 🤞😃
> 
> Sidenote: I attached a picture of what I imagine Theo's tattoo to look like at the end of the chapter. I thought it would be a nice image for Theo to have. I couldn't change the shape, so let's just imagine the edge is curved, as was the circular brand.
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy this part of the series.
> 
> UPDATE: Sorry, I am trying to fix the photo. I don't know why it isn't showing up. I'll fix it as soon as I can.

Why was he so nervous? It’s a tattoo. It’s not like he’s talking about his feelings. Although, in a way, maybe he was. It doesn’t matter. It’s Liam. It’s not like he had anything to worry about. Liam wouldn’t mock him for his choice. Liam wouldn’t judge him. It was Liam who encouraged him to choose something important. Something meaningful. Then again, maybe that’s it. It _was_ important He couldn’t begin to describe what the tattoo meant to him. What if Liam thought it was stupid? What if Liam thought _he_ was stupid for getting it?

No. No, Liam wouldn’t care what he chose. Liam would ask about the pictures. Liam would be curious about the word calling for attention in the centre. Most notable of all, Liam would _listen_. His answers would mean something. Everything he said would be heard. _Truely_ heard. Not just ignored. Liam would _care_.

“Well?”  
Liam was staring at him. Waiting. He must have been standing there, silent and motionless, for longer than he’d thought. “Are you going to show me or not?”  
It shouldn’t be this hard. Just do it. It was as simple as taking his shirt off. It was that easy. Only it wasn’t. That one action, that one admission. was the equivalent to opening up his heart. It was a step towards allowing someone in, letting someone see behind his carefully constructed walls. More than Liam and his parents already had. He wasn’t sure he could do it.

Being seen for who he was, underneath every mask he’d crafted to hide his flaws and fears, was terrifying. Letting someone see the positive? Letting someone see what he found comforting? Allowing someone to know what meant the most to him? The thought alone rendered him sick. It was basically an invitation to that person to use what they learnt against him. To take what he held dear and destroy it. To take away the few comforts he had, those he clung to, leaving him alone and helpless.  
“Theo?”

Snap out of it. He was practically catatonic, at this point. Liam would only question it more, and as strange as it was, Liam would start to worry. He was here now. There was no point in turning around. It wouldn’t solve anything, and besides, it was too late. Even if he had wanted to, it would be of no use. If he left now, Liam would only think something was wrong.

That it was more than just nerves.  
He’d have to explain one way or another, if only to put Liam’s mind at ease. He may as well just show Liam. Before he could change his mind, he pulled his shirt over his head. The loose material hung from his hand, as he waited, unsure as to what to do next. Liam didn’t say anything. Not at first. The silence was eating away at his thin confidence. At the belief he knew Liam; that Liam wouldn’t laugh.

He already regretted going through with this. He should have just walked out. He should have listened to his instincts and fled, instead of allowing such an open sense of vulnerability to exist. He should have-  
“It’s beautiful.”  
Wait. Did he hear that right?  
“You like it?”  
“How could I not? It’s so detailed. I love the way you tied them together.”  
Liam liked the tattoo. It was an immense relief. He still didn’t understand why Liam’s approval meant so much to him. It was his body. The tattoo was on his chest, not Liam’s. The only person who needed to like it was him. He really shouldn’t care what Liam thought, but he did. As much as it confused him, he did. He couldn’t deny the flutter of acceptance or feeling of security it elicited.

“Is the moon about you being a Chimera?”  
“It is, but there’s more to it than that. I- I always felt a connection to the moon. It’s radiance, the luminous glow, the strength. The way it could control the tides, light an entire sky and keep the dark at bay, was unimaginable. It’s what I wanted. As a child, I wanted nothing more than to be free. To be strong. I was tired of having to live with a damaged heart.”  
He trailed off; the sudden unexpected reminder of what he’d done, pressing against his chest. It was that same fear, that same desire to be free of his pain, which led him to kill Tara.  
“I never thought of it like that. I can see it, though. It’s a nice thought. To have such a strong presence.” Liam spoke calmly. Neutrally.

There was no hint of sarcasm in Liam’s voice. There was no mention of the mistakes he’d made. There was no mention of how they’d come to know each other. Liam simply glossed over it. No. It was more than that. Liam didn’t even acknowledge it had happened. He knew Liam had to have made the same connection he had. It wasn’t hard. It was that very fear, that desire for power that led him to partner with the Dread Doctors. Liam had to know, and yet, it remained untouched.

A Pack. It had seemed like everything at the time. It had seemed like the only thing to live for. The only reason to try. When everything else was falling apart, he’d had that wish to hold onto.

Liam’s lack of acknowledgment was deliberate. A silent reassurance. A way of letting him know it was okay; that he wasn’t the same person, who’d made the decision to steal his sister’s heart. He’d needed to hear it, even though it wasn’t explicitly stated. If anything, that made it more real. He didn’t feel the need to respond. He didn’t need to say thank you.

They both knew how much it meant, how desperate he was to be forgiven. As much as he’d craved forgiveness, he’d never dared to hope. It would hurt too much if he tried, only to find it was impossible. Despite that reluctance, here they were. Liam had given him exactly what he needed. Just like Liam had been there for him during the last two curses. In the same way, Liam was here for him now.

He owed Liam for so much over the past months. A thank you would be the least he could do, but he wasn’t ready. Not yet. Maybe one day he would, but for now, he just had to try to convey his gratitude through his actions. It didn’t feel like enough, but he had to try.

“What does the tree mean?” Liam continued, unaware of his internal struggle.  
The tree. It was a symbol of his new found knowledge and place in the world. Despite everything he’d learnt with the Dread Doctors, and although he had extensive knowledge on many subjects, he had only recently gained an understanding of what truely matters. He had only now found a place he felt could be called home.

In spite of his time serving the Dread Doctors, he’d found a semblance of belonging. Liam had welcomed him into their home and protected him, when no one else did. Scott and the Pack, with the exception of Stiles and Malia, were ready and willing to assist.  
“Trees are symbolic of many traits.” He wanted to elaborate, but he didn’t know where to start. Liam didn’t rush him; instead remaining as patient as ever. (Ironic, given Liam’s IED). “Wisdom, shelter and security. They’re the three which stand out the most to me.”  
It was hard to talk about, and Liam seemed to understand that he didn’t want to explain his reasons, for choosing those particular meanings.

“I have to say,” Liam mused. “I wouldn’t have pictured you getting ‘hope’ etched into your skin.”  
There it was. The word at the centre of his tattoo. The word which worried him the most. Those four little letters. Four letters that held so much meaning. It was that alone, which had caused him the most stress when designing the tattoo. The rest had seemed to speak for themselves. He didn’t need to think about it, but that one word... It had felt strange, and yet right, at the same time.

They both knew his thoughts on having hope and how little it achieved. If you didn’t act on your desires, if you didn’t actively search for a solution, you’d never succeed. Hope was effectively useless. As much as he knew that, he’d had no choice, but to hope these past few months. When all else failed, he’d hoped.  
For an answer.  
For a way to break the curses.  
For his life to be normal.  
For a reprieve from his struggles.  
In the end, he had just hoped for a little peace.

“Well, it seemed fitting, given everything that’s happened.” He was starting to realise that it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Provided you didn’t rely solely on it working, he was beginning to see the appeal.

“What about the 9?”  
His tattoo represented different times throughout his life. The moon was his past, the tree his growth, ‘hope’ his present and the ‘9’ his future. For a moment, he’d forgotten it was even there. It was designed to blend in with the moon and tree, sinking into the foliage and shadows. He should have known Liam would notice it. Liam had become well-versed in spotting his cracks.  
“It, uh...”  
“Theo?” Liam’s concern was back. “Are you alright?”

He licked his lips, nerves on high alert. “Yeah, I’m fine, I- I Just...” His earlier courage faltered, then collapsed, before finally deserting him entirely. He couldn’t force himself to say the words. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to tell Liam the truth.  
“You don’t have to tell me. Not if you don’t want to.”  
How was Liam so understanding? It didn’t stop for a second. Even after everything they’d been through. “I want to, I just...”  
“You’re not ready. It’s okay, Theo.”

One day.  
One day he’d tell Liam. It was only right.


	2. Liam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here’s the second chapter. 😁 I’ve tried to reload the photo of how I imagine Theo’s tattoo to look. Cross fingers, it works. 🤞
> 
> I hope y’all enjoy. 😃

Theo’s tattoo was amazing.  
It was easy to see why Theo chose it, and it was almost tempting to get one of his own. Almost. There was no way he would go through with it. Needles freaked him out, and he wasn’t keen on being burned, either. That didn’t stop him from admiring Theo’s, though. There was one part however, that he couldn’t quite forget.  
The tree.

Wisdom, shelter and security. That’s what Theo had said it meant. For him, specifically. He understood wisdom and security. With the horrors of growing up under the Dread Doctors’ watchful, unforgiving eyes, and being sentenced to hell for close to a year, it was to be expected that Theo wanted to feel safe.  
What he didn’t understand was ‘shelter’. Why would Theo place such importance on something so fundamental? He could only assume it was related to how Theo grew up, as well. No longer living in the sewers or underground had to be nice.

It just didn’t feel right. He felt like he was missing something. This wasn’t the first time he’d noticed a glimpse behind the surface. It felt like Theo was hiding something. He hadn’t forgotten the comments Theo made, or the chemosignals he’d picked up on when Theo was cursed. He’d been unsure at the time, but with each new piece of information, he was beginning to think something wasn’t okay. In fact, he was beginning to think that something might be very wrong.

Theo had been quick to dismiss his offer to stay at Theo’s place during the first curse. Then he’d developed a strong preference, bordering on an obsession for his pillow. It couldn’t be that different to Theo’s own pillow, or at least, he didn’t think so. Now this. The tattoo.

He didn’t know why he felt like this or what he should do. He couldn’t just ask Theo. If Theo had wanted to tell him, he’d have been given an explanation at the time. All he could do was watch. He’d have to watch for any further signs and listen for any further comments.  
  
He’d be there should Theo ever want to talk, but until then, he’d watch.

For as long as it takes.

~


	3. Theo

It had been a few weeks since they’d broken the curse, and he’d shown Liam his tattoo. He had yet to tell Liam what the ‘9’ meant, but he was working on it. What was most notable, was the increased time he was spending with Liam. He had been invited to game night with Mason and Corey, movies with Liam and his parents and trips to the mall.

The last one was always awkward.

He enjoyed playing games at Liam’s; beating the beta at every game they played, (video and board games alike), never failed to entertain him. Even going to the movies with Liam’s family was fun. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen one, and despite the confusion at the start, (Jenna refused to let him pay for his ticket or food), he was quickly absorbed in the movie.

So far, they’d seen five and ‘The Secret Garden’ was still his favourite. Liam had loved hearing that; (Jenna seemed to know how to make him talk without realising).

He could however, go without shopping. Every time he went to the mall with Liam and Mason, he felt out of place. It’s not like he could afford to buy anything. Especially after he’d finally managed to buy Liam a new phone. It took a while, but he scraped together enough, (don’t ask him how), and he bought it to replace the one he’d broken.

It was frustrating to learn he’d spent good money he could have used for food, on a phone Liam never even used. It turns out that David agreed to pay, once Liam explained _why_ the first one was destroyed. It saved Liam from being out of pocket. Unfortunately, he couldn’t say the same.  
Liam was, at least, appreciative.

He was just tired of pretending he found shopping boring, and that everything they saw was either pointless or of no interest. It was the only way he could explain why he refused to buy a single item. Other than the truth of course, and that was out of the question. Mason constantly complained about how he was ‘too picky’ and ‘impossible to please’. He had long since lost count of how many times Mason questioned why he bothered to come, at all.

In truth, he didn’t know why. He just found he couldn’t say no, anytime Liam asked. He could handle that, though. He could handle Mason and Liam thinking he was overly selective. What he couldn’t handle, was Liam or the Pack knowing he was nearly broke. The truth was, he’d seen a lot he’d love to buy, if only he had the money to afford them.  
There was one item in particular, he couldn’t resist looking at. It was only ever from the corner of his eye, but he was drawn to the telescope in ‘Geographic Central’. It was right there in the store window, calling to him.

_The Galactic Odyssey_.

It was perfection. He’d finally be able to see the stars and moon in greater depth and detail, than he’d ever imagined. It was the newest model and far surpassed its predecessors, or at least that’s what he’d read in an article from ‘Science of America’. They described the feeling of looking through the lens, as being ‘one with the stars’. Almost as if you were in space itself.

He’d love to have the opportunity, but it was an unattainable goal. It was yet another dream to add to his growing list of aspirations that would never happen.

He was proven right when he followed Mason and Liam to the mall once again, and the telescope was gone. The window looked empty without its grandeur. It was always a matter of time before someone finally bought it. In fact, he’d expected this day to come sooner. A telescope that special would never have lasted long. Though instead of finding peace in its absence like he’d expected, he felt lost and disillusioned. As much as it hurt, he had at least been able to observe it from a distance. It felt like it was there for him...

And now, it was gone.


	4. Liam

How did he let Theo talk him into coming here? It was cold, early and he had no idea where they were going. So far, they’d been walking for an hour through the Preserve, (the trees were too thick to drive any further than the road), and Theo showed no sign of stopping. One could be forgiven for thinking this was a bad idea.

What could Theo possibly want to do this far from the centre of town, and why did they have to go at eight in the morning?  
He missed his bed. A lot.  
It was Saturday; he should be sleeping, not trekking through the Preserve.  
“How much further?”  
“Would you stop complaining, Liam? We’re nearly there.”

“You’ve been saying that for the last twenty minutes.” He’d heard those three words so many times, he was ready to punch something. The problem was, there were only trees around and he didn’t particularly feel like causing a broken hand. The only other option wasn’t a possibility; Theo. He could always give the Chimera another broken nose. It wouldn’t be the first time, and it might not be the last, but he didn’t want to anger Theo.

He’d found lately he wanted to protect Theo more than anything. Especially when Theo was so excited. The anticipation was almost palpable.  
“This times different. It’s just past these trees...”  
Theo trailed off as they pushed through a dense line of trees, (were they multiplying?), and entered an open patch of land. There wasn’t much to be seen, apart from the few stone structures lining the expanse. Despite that, it didn’t feel right. For some reason, he felt like they shouldn’t be here. As if they were intruding.

A strange chill coursed through him, leaving him numb and on alert (an odd mix), instantly.  
It was quiet.  
Too quiet.

“We need to go.”  
“What? We just got here.”  
Theo had to make everything difficult. “There’s something strange about this place. I don’t know why, but I know we shouldn’t have come here. We need to go before something happens.”  
It took him a minute to process Theo’s response. It was the last thing he’d expected to hear. Laughter. Theo was actually laughing at him.

“How are you scared, right now?”  
He refused to answer. A comment that ridiculous didn’t deserve a response.  
“Aw. Is the beta afraid of the spooky stones?”  
You know what? He didn’t have to put up with this. “We’ve seen enough to trust our instincts, and I’m telling you, Theo. We need to leave. Now.”

He was so done with Theo’s stubbornness. He couldn’t go on his own. Not only did he not want to walk the whole way back, (he’d never be allowed to drive the truck home), he couldn’t just leave Theo here. There was no way to know what could happen, and he was certain that something would. It was only a matter of time.

“What’s this supposed to be?”  
Instead of preparing to retreat, Theo had moved further into the opening and knelt in front of the largest stone. Inspecting the cravings on the front. Cautiously, he stepped forward to get a closer look. If he was stuck here, he may as well see what was interesting enough to capture Theo’s undivided attention. What he saw, left him frantic. He couldn’t help the curse that slipped out, as he backed away as fast as he could.

He _knew_ this was wrong. They never should have come here. He never should have listened to Theo.

“Theo, we need to go. This isn’t a joke.”  
“Now what?” Theo had the nerve to sound annoyed. As if he were to blame. This was _not_ his fault. It wasn’t his idea to trudge out here in the early morning. He never should have agreed. Being woken up by a knock on his window, should have been warning enough.  
“This is sacred ground.” He couldn’t resist glancing around warily. They were standing in the open, unguarded and without a means to hide should someone decide to attack. “These, (the stones, which he only now realised were aligned in a straight line along the trees), are monuments. The cravings are runes.”

“Well, then. It’s lucky I brought you along. You can tell me all about these.” Theo’s infuriating smile was as present as ever. You’d think they were at the movies or something, not in the heart of sacred land.  
“Theo.” He hissed in disbelief, when Theo touched the stone in front of them. It had been erected in the centre of the monuments. How could someone be so foolish? “That’s the central point of the sacred circle. It contains a blessing.”  
“I’m an atheist.” Theo’s patented smirk was back.

“Quit messing around. It’s a general blessing known to all witches.  
 _Stone and Symbol let secrets unfold._  
 _Messages from ancestors and guardians be told._  
 _May gentle insight guide every word,_  
 _So sacred wisdom may be heard_  
 _By a heart open and ready to receive_  
 _Divine Guidance to conceive._  
This is a place of spiritual being and magic. We shouldn’t be here.”

“How do you know that?”  
“I like history. You know that. Besides, supernatural history, in case you forgot, has become necessary lately.”  
“Relax. I’m just investigating.” Theo moved to examine the runes to their left. _The moon_. “What’s this one mean?” Theo glanced at him, curiosity bright in those green eyes. He hesitated, but Theo just smiled. “Come on, Liam. Enlighten me. I know you want to.”

He did. He would _love_ to talk about every rune, their meanings, their history... he’d love to talk about everything he’d learned, but this wasn’t the time. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. If anything, it was getting worse. Overwhelming. Suffocating.

It was almost crushing in its intensity. Then again, now might be the only chance he had to share his newfound knowledge. It’s not like Theo was going anywhere. Maybe if he satisfied Theo’s curiosity, they could finally go home.

Sighing, he begun reciting what he’d read. “The moon. It’s often depicted in silver, and is seen to symbolise a mysterious and secretive energy. If I had to choose one for you, this would be it.”  
Theo’s eyes lit up. He knew how much Theo loved the moon. He remembered the story of how Theo grew up, the reverence and interest in the stars and the moon’s strength. The idea that Theo shared traits with the moon, even symbolically so, was exciting.  
It really did describe Theo quite accurately, and he couldn’t resist the sudden urge to tease the chimera.

“It’s meanings include transitioning from one thing to another, hidden agendas, secrets being kept... and feminine energy.”  
Theo’s smile dropped, replaced by a groan. “You did _not_ just go there.”  
“You asked for it.” His fear was easing, if only slightly, with each passing second. Each playful jibe served to return his heartbeat to its normal rhythm. This was how they were. This, he knew how to work with.  
“ _Liam_.”

“You didn’t seem to have a problem laughing at me, after the movies last week.”  
“You fell in a hole! It was hilarious and _completely_ different!”  
“Is it though?” He couldn’t help himself. He may have been enjoying this a little too much. It was nice seeing Theo let his mask fall, for once.  
“We are _not_ talking about this. What’s this rune mean?” It was a deliberate and obvious attempt to change the subject, and he allowed it. Theo was bright red; he really didn’t need to continue. Theo had had enough.

“That’s the sun. It’s seen as a positive rune; one of happiness, often depicted in yellow. It can mean the start of something new, healing, justice and a positive end to something.”  
“So, you.”  
Okay. Now, he was lost. “What?”  
It was clear Theo hadn’t meant to say that. In fact, it seemed like Theo didn’t realise what he’d said, if the confused look that quickly morphed into a blatant cringe, was anything to go by.  
“I just- you helped me.”

Theo’s discomfort was visible and unguarded. It almost sounded as if Theo were implying he’d healed him. That the past several months weren’t all bad. It was a nice thought. That Theo might be enjoying their time together, as much as he was. That Theo was enjoying the simple joys of life.

That didn’t however, stop Theo from floundering, stumbling backwards in a desperate attempt to find a way out of the conversation. He didn’t need to have an answer. If Theo didn’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. He wasn’t going to push Theo. He was about to give Theo an out, when the unthinkable happened. It took place in the blink of an eye, leaving no time to offer a warning.

This was exactly what he’d been worried about. He’d known something like this would happen, and now it was too late. The wind picked up, blowing furiously through the trees. Leaves floated around them, a low whine filling the air.

“Now, look what you’ve done!”  
Behind Theo were the broken remains of the monument bearing the inscribed blessing. In his haste to escape, Theo wasn’t paying attention and crashed directly into the stone. The resounding crack of stone splitting in half, echoed in the sudden silence. A silence which lasted all of a second, before the howling wind erupted.  
“This is not my fault.” For once, Theo actually sounded unsure.  
“You _broke_ the monument!”

A flash of light rose to their right, and standing there, was another witch. One who was furious.  
“You _dare_ to trespass on the land of our ancestors! You bring destruction and chaos in your wake!”  
“I’m sorry. We were just leaving.” If they apologised, maybe, just maybe, she’d let them go.  
“No.”  
Or, maybe not. Theo had apparently regained composure during the short interaction, and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. This was the last thing they needed.

“Listen to your friend. Leave now, and you shall be spared.”  
This witch wasn’t someone he wanted to test. She didn’t appear to be the patient or forgiving kind. One wrong word, and they could both be in a lot of trouble.  
“Look, I’m sorry about your runes, but I barely touched it. The stones are obviously old.”  
Oh, no. Theo, shut up.  
“Such insolence. You have no right to step foot on this land. You think yourself beyond repercussion. I assure you, you are not. Repent your sins, and I shall consider leniency.”

“I already apologised once. I won’t do it again.” Theo was riled up; the situation quickly escalating beyond repair. If he didn’t do something to stop this now, there was no telling what would happen.  
“Theo, just do as you’re told. For once, just stop complaining and do it.” He needed to get through to Theo. He was practically pleading. If Theo would just apologise, _truely_ apologise, they might make it out of here in one piece.  
“I’m not following orders from a _witch_ , Liam.”

Why? _Why_ did it have to be this hard? _Why_ did Theo have to make everything so complicated?  
“This can be over with in a matter of seconds, Theo. Put your pride aside and do it!”  
“I am not letting another witch tell me what to do. Not again.”  
An uneasy feeling settled deep within his stomach, when Theo turned to face the woman. He didn’t know what Theo was about to say, but whatever it was, it wouldn’t end well.

“Now, why don’t you go back to wherever it is you came from, lady. I’m not your lap dog.”  
That did it. It was so much worse than he’d imagined. The proverbial nail in the coffin. He watched the change in her eyes; the pupils having darkened almost to pitch black. It was a terrifying sight, and he wasn’t the one on the other end of the disdain. The justifiable sense of disrespect. The blind rage. They were on her land, and that’s how Theo speaks to her.

“An act of sheer audacity such as this, requires an equally severe punishment. One with lasting and dire consequences. _Superbia ante quod cadere. Quia omnis ut hibere_.”  
Theo stumbled back, a jolt travelling down his spine as if electrocuted. There was no other sign of magic. Unlike in the past, there was no light or visible link. There was nothing to confirm the assumption a spell had been cast.

Before he could blink, he realised they were no longer standing in the Preserve. Instead of the trees and dirt that had surrounded them mere seconds ago, they found themselves in a field. Flowers lined the ground in all directions. The problem was there were no flower fields in Beacon Hills. It was then that he realised what had happened. Not only had the witch transported them away from the clearing, but she had sent them beyond the Beacon Hills border entirely.

“I hope you’re happy.”  
Theo simply rolled his eyes.  
“I’m serious, Theo. We’re completely lost and for all we know, you’re cursed again.”  
“I’m fine, Liam.”  
“You don’t know that.” Neither of them could be sure a spell hadn’t been cast, let alone what the effects would be if one had.  
“Nothing happened. You saw that as well as I did.”  
“What I saw, was what appeared to be an electric shock running down your spine. Whatever it was, something hit you. More to the point, we’re not even in town, anymore. Do you have any idea where we are?”

It took a while to orient themselves. It was extremely difficult when you had nothing to go on, and all you could see in any direction were flowers. All they knew was they were in a field, which could be literally anywhere. They didn’t even know if they were in a town or somewhere along the road in between. They couldn’t even safely say which direction they’d travelled from Beacon Hills.

In the end, they’d had no choice but to wander aimlessly through the flowers, until they found said road. It was almost an hour later before they saw a passing car. The driver (who thankfully stopped), kindly informed them they were halfway along the highway to the next town. As luck would have it, they had also been walking in the wrong direction. They had, in fact, been heading further away from Beacon Hills, not closer. They were now two hours away, with no way home.

The man was kind enough as to give them a lift to the next exit. At least that way they weren’t stranded on the side of the road, with nothing to shield them from the growing heat or eat along the way. He knew he wasn’t supposed to get in a car with someone he didn’t know, (it was one of the first rules his parents had taught him), but they didn’t have much of a choice. Besides, one benefit of being a werewolf, or in Theo’s case, a chimera, was the ability to detect a lie. This man, he was sure, meant them no harm.

Once they knew exactly where they were, a little town called Meadow Valley, he called his mum. It was fair to say, she was more than a little shocked to hear they were so far from home. Especially when he’d had to explain how they got there in the first place. Try explaining there was yet another witch in town. It was ridiculous. They had to wait for her to pick them up, which was a rather tense time, given the reason they were here. It didn’t help that they no longer had the distraction of discerning their location or calling for help.

He decided not to tell her Theo may have been cursed again. At least not until they knew for certain.  
“We need to speak to Deaton.”  
“No, we don’t.”  
Of course Theo had to refuse. “You don’t even know what it did-”  
“It didn’t do anything, Liam. That’s my point. It must have failed.”  
Theo couldn’t be serious, right now. How could Theo believe that? “When have these spells ever failed? Theo, you’ve already been cursed twice.”

“I’m aware, Liam. I said, I’m fine.” There was a discernible tension to Theo’s voice; angry on the surface, but with something buried underneath. Theo might not be so sure after all, but rather may be trying not to think about the possibility. If that were the case, pushing the matter wouldn’t do any good. In fact, it would only push Theo further away and cause him to shut down completely. He had to let it go. At least for now. He’d have to find a way to ease Theo into the truth.

By the time his mum finally arrived, he could practically taste Theo’s anger. The hidden feeling beneath, as strong as ever. The ride home was silent... and awkward. The intensity of the unspoken emotions were suffocating, and only grew worse by the second. He was looking forward to being anywhere but this car, as soon as humanly possible. He had to restrain himself from resorting to using his enhanced abilities; it’s not like they’d help much anyway.

As challenging as Theo could be, he hoped for Theo’s sake the curse had, in fact, failed. He didn’t want to know what would happen if it had worked.


	5. Theo

“Theo!”  
Ignore it. Just keep walking.  
“Theo!”  
Just walk. Get in your truck and drive.  
“Theo, stop!”

And, just like that, he did. He must be more tired than he’d previously thought, if he yielded. Especially so easily. It came out of nowhere. He didn’t want to stop. He _wanted_ to leave and never come back. The lack of sleep must be getting to him. His time at Liam’s had done more harm than good. His body no longer agreed to the rough, uneven shape of his seats, having since grown used to the softness of a real mattress. The feel of cool linen against his skin. He’d become accustomed to the quiet one only found in a house. The sounds of steady heartbeats drowning out the birds and rain. Rain which sounded distant and soft on the solid roof, instead of loud and piercing against the metal of his truck.

He’d grown reliant on the full night’s sleep, in spite of the nightmares that plagued him. Returning to the constant interruptions of the Sheriff’s department, took a larger toll than it had in a long time. Months of sleeping on a proper bed, in an actual house, had undone years of acclimatisation.

“I told you before, I’m not discussing this.”  
“And yet, here you are.” ‘Here’ being Liam’s driveway. Liam said it like that spoke to his submission. To his desire to stay.  
It didn’t.  
“We’re here, because your mum brought you home. Don’t think that means I want to be.”  
“Says the one who hasn’t left yet.”  
“Just let it go.”  
“I gave you time to process. I let you hide from reality, but you know what? Enough’s enough, Theo. You’re in denial.”

“Liam! How many times do I have to tell you, I’m fine?! Do I _look_ any different to you? What do you think could have happened?!” He was through listening to Liam’s insistence that he must be cursed. He wasn’t. He _wasn’t_.  
“Magic doesn’t only affect your appearance, Theo. You know that as well as I do. If anything, the fact you look the same is what concerns me the most. It has to be something else, something deeper. The spell must have affected you in some other way. We just can’t see what it is.”  
No. No, he _wasn’t_ cursed. No matter _what_ Liam said. This wasn’t happening. Not again. It couldn’t be...

“The answer’s no. I’m not going.”  
He actually snorted at Liam’s glare. Was that supposed to persuade him? Of course, that only served to further fuel Liam’s anger.  
“Don’t roll your eyes at me.”  
He didn’t realise he was. Though he realised now, that he couldn’t. It felt like the appropriate response, and yet, he couldn’t make himself perform the simple gesture. Surely, he couldn’t be that tired. Could he?

“I can’t help you if you won’t let me, Theo. All I’m asking is that you speak to Deaton. Get a second opinion. If you’re fine, no harm done. You can go home as if this never happened, but if there is something, if something’s wrong... we need to know, Theo. Sooner, rather than later.”  
“There’s nothing to help with, Liam.”  
“You know what? Suit yourself. Don’t complain to me though, when you realise I’m right.”

Liam was _really_ trying his patience. The beta could be insufferable sometimes. He appreciated the help when he needed it. He may not be able to voice that appreciation, but he did. It did not however, mean he needed help all the time. He was, in fact, capable of looking after himself. He’d done so for years, both before and after the Dread Doctors.  
Being friends (as he’d come to think of Liam), was proving to be more hands-on than he’d anticipated. He didn’t realise it would involve so much work. He didn’t know having a friend would involve such oversight, and he wasn’t sure he could handle it. It was suffocating at times.

Particularly, when he didn’t want to admit that Liam might, _actually_ , be right. There, he said it. Who cares if it was only in his head? No one else needed to know. He knew _exactly_ what that bout of magic meant. He _knew_ he was cursed. He just wasn’t ready to acknowledge that yet. Nor did he want to know what the spell had done.

“I wasn’t planning on it. Can I go now?” It was a dry response, but he was tired and through talking about this.  
“Do whatever you want. Hop three times. I don’t care.”  
He still couldn’t roll his eyes. It seemed to be beyond his control. No matter how hard he tried, it just wouldn’t work. He just couldn’t make the muscles do what he wanted them to. There was nothing. No movement at all. He could blink and look away, but he couldn’t roll his eyes. It didn’t make sense, and... wait. Why was he hopping? That wasn’t tiredness. Being tired doesn’t make you follow directives. Especially sarcastic ones. Even Liam hadn’t expected him to go through with it. Nor was Liam impressed that he had.  
“Don’t be an ass.”

Three times. That wasn’t so bad. He’d already stopped before Liam spoke. He wasn’t being an ass. He had no idea why he’d followed the ridiculous instruction, but it wasn’t to be rude or insulting. He knew that much. Besides, Liam was the one who thought he should talk about their run in with that witch. Seriously, why are there suddenly so many witches around? He wanted nothing more than to offer a retort. To bite back, but the words died on his tongue. The more he tried to force the words out, the more nauseous he became.

“Just go. Go get your truck and go home. Come find me when you’re ready to accept my help.”  
Without a second thought, he turned around and was leaving. Just like that. It wasn’t a thought. It wasn’t planned. He just... did it. As if by instinct. His body appeared to have grown a mind of its own. Vaguely, he heard Liam huff in the distance. The growing space felt strange and unnatural. He didn’t want to leave. Not like this. He didn’t want Liam to be mad at him. Their friendship... it meant everything to him. He didn’t want to lose it. He should stay. He _needed_ to stay. So, why then, can’t he stop? Why was he _still_ walking?

The sudden, _loud_ horn sounding from the road, (the road he was now crossing), sent his heartbeat into overdrive. The screech of brakes, was all he could hear. Even now, he couldn’t make his body stop. Despite every fibre of his being screaming at him to run, he just kept walking. Eyes shut, he had no choice but to wait for the inevitable collision.  
It never came.

A second before the car hit him, a hand on his arm wrenched him back. He stood on the grass of Liam’s lawn, heart pounding in his chest, facing an outraged beta. The driver pulled over to ask if he was okay, and Liam replied with a short yes, followed by a more polite apology for the fright. Liam promised to ensure he was more careful next time. Seemingly satisfied, the man drove away.  
“What is wrong with you?!”

He didn’t answer. Didn’t even try. No, he was too busy trying to cross the road. Even now. He hadn’t stopped since he’d begun. It was like his body was malfunctioning. Liam tightened his grip, (unnecessarily hard, if you asked him), and asked again.  
“Where are you going?”

If only he knew. Even now, he was trying to leave. To pull free of Liam’s vice grip on his arm. He really could do without the claws digging into his skin. Despite the questioning look. The same one which suddenly hardened, completely devoid of any patience.  
“If you’re in such a rush to leave, then just go. I don’t know why I bother.” With that, Liam released his arm and the only restraint holding him back. Just like that, Liam had given up. It stung more than he wanted to admit. With all means of hindering his movement gone, he found himself, once again, attempting to cross the road. In front of yet another car. Panic was needling at the edge of his chest, creeping ever closer and threatening to render his heart still. The icy threads of fear were intensified by the horn and yelled ‘get off the road!’

He was saved, once again, by Liam dragging him back at the last moment. Maybe Liam hadn’t given up on him, after all. At least not enough to let him be hit by a car. This time however, rather than standing on the lawn, he was pushed (rather painfully) into the ground. Pinned against the concrete footpath, Liam’s full weight rest heavily on his stomach and chest. What concerned him the most though, was Liam’s knee. The same knee that was currently resting a little low for comfort.

“Seriously, Theo?! Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?!”  
“Liam, can you- uh...”  
“Can I what?” Liam was pissed. Visibly and certifiably pissed. Not the best state to be in, given the fact that Liam had IED and was leaning dangerously close to a rather sensitive area of his body.  
He swallowed back the lump in his throat, heat rising in his cheeks. “Your knee.”  
“What?” The weight shifted lower still, as Liam’s mood grew increasingly worse.  
“Can you- can you move your knee? Please?” He spoke almost inaudibly soft, his voice weak and desperate. The expression he was met with could only be described as utter exasperation.  
“Is this a joke? You nearly walk in front of _two_ cars, and you want to talk about my leg position?”  
“It’s uh.. really low.”

Liam, despite the aggrieved sigh that followed, finally moved the knee onto the ground beside him. It was an immense relief, to say the least. He wasn’t sure he would be safe, if Liam’s anger won out. If Liam lost control, which given the IED and the current situation were very possible, it could have turned bad very quick. There had been incidents in the past, where Liam seemed to forget a werewolf’s enhanced strength. The IED didn’t leave much room for conscious reasoning, either. It created a spur of the moment reaction, and he _really_ didn’t want to think about Liam applying pressure down there.

“Are you planning on answering me anytime soon? What is wrong with you?”  
He wished he knew. He really did. Even now, he was trying to leave. He might not be able to move, given the strength with which he was being held down, but that didn’t stop his body from trying. His body that was currently trying to fight its way free.  
“I don’t- I don’t know. I- I can’t stop.”  
“Don’t lie to me.” The anger was back in an instant. Liam’s voice hadn’t sounded this threatening towards him in a long time.  
“I’m not.” How could Liam think he’d lie about this? _Why_ would he lie about his? Liam had the nerve to roll his eyes at him. Something he still couldn’t do, by the way. “You can hear my heartbeat.”  
“Which we both know you can regulate.”  
“Liam-”

“If you won’t tell me the truth-”  
“I am! I can’t stop! No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I want to, I _can’t_ stop!” Frustration and fear laced his voice. For a second, he even lost control of his heartbeat. It must have been erratic by this point, and as much as he hated the vulnerability, Liam heard it too. The one good part about that, is Liam finally seemed to believe him. Those features softening in response.

“Okay, just- just stay still!”  
And just like that, he couldn’t move. Not so much as an inch. He had wanted the continuous walking to end, but being frozen in place (as he was now), wasn’t much better. He felt his eyes widening beyond reason, voice nearing on a screech. He couldn’t prevent the crack in his voice, either. As embarrassing as it was.  
“What-?”  
“We need Deaton. Now.”  
“I’m-”  
“Do _not_ say your fine.”  
Please let this be a nightmare. If he could just wake up...  
“I didn’t-”

“Theo, you do everything I say. Literally.” Liam’s impatience was growing again, and it was clear Liam wasn’t in the mood to argue. Nor was Liam wrong. It was Liam who’d told him to go to leave. Who’d told him to go and get his truck. And he had. Just as he’d stopped moving when directed. Waiting when Liam called, the inability to roll his eyes, the lack of sarcasm, _damn it_ , the hopping... it had all followed orders from Liam.  
Shit.

He swallowed. Roughly. “I don’t-” It was croaky and forced.  
He was helpless as he watched Liam stand up. He, on the other hand, remained sprawled across the footpath.  
“Well? What are you waiting for?”  
Liam knew exactly when to call his bluff. He was stuck on the ground with no way of getting up. Not because he was being held down or injured, but because he couldn’t make his body work. He couldn’t make his body respond.

“I can always go inside on my own-”  
That was the last thing he wanted. He did _not_ want to be stranded here. Alone. On show for everyone to see. He cringed just thinking about it.  
“Okay! Okay!” It was little more than a groan. He just wanted this day to end. “Call Deaton.”

Liam turned to go inside. Alone. This was exactly what he’d been trying to avoid. He was still sprawled on the footpath, unable to move. Halfway to the door, Liam had seemingly forgotten he couldn’t follow. Blissfully unaware of his frozen state. He had to do something and fast. Before the front door closed.  
“Liam?” Quiet and tentative. It seemed to have become his default. A newly programmed tone, set after months of torment. He waited for Liam to turn around, hand still on the door. He waited as a cascade of emotions emerged, shaping Liam’s soft features. He recognised the exact moment Liam understood. There was a sharp sting of guilt marring those perfect green eyes.

“Sorry.” An apologetic smile pulled at the corners of Liam’s lips. It was a look he realised he never wanted to see again. He found he wanted Liam to be happy. Always. He knew in that moment that he’d do anything to keep the beta smiling. _Truely_ smiling. It was as simple as that. “Stand up.” It worked, except now he was trapped upright. “Walk.” That led to absolute chaos. His body apparently didn’t know how to obey such a vague command. Without a direction in mind, he took a step forward, only to abruptly move to the side. His feet were out of sync, each moving in a different direction, and Liam... well, Liam just stood there. Staring.

“Liam, make it stop!” The chaotic movements rendered him nauseous and disoriented. He felt as though he were losing his mind.  
Free of the astonished shock, Liam spoke once more. “Uh... Decide for yourself.”  
That one worked.

He finally felt in control of his body again. It felt as though the string that bound him had been cut, and he had never been more grateful in his life. Unfortunately, he’d forgotten about Jenna. She was still home and watched in obvious concern as they entered the house. She had probably seen the entire scene, what with the yelling and undignified movements. Not to mention she’d have heard the incidents with the cars. He was pretty sure that was what had her worried the most. Offering a smile, he hoped it didn’t look as tired as he felt.

He followed Liam upstairs, asking himself yet again why this was his life. As usual, he didn’t receive an answer. He just had to hope Deaton would know what to do.


	6. Liam

He’d never forget the look on Theo’s face. The sheer embarrassment. The unease. Having to ask for help, especially for something as simple as standing up, was humiliating. All because he forgot to tell him to. He forgot to rescind the previous order. It was such a stupid mistake, and one that should never have happened. It was still surprising to see Theo so flustered. It wasn’t an emotion he would have thought could be associated with Theo. It didn’t seem possible. Not given the way in which they met.

Now, though... it was becoming apparent that Theo was easily triggered. The simplest of actions would set Theo off. The more personal a situation became, the more uncomfortable Theo would be. He had to admit it was adorable seeing this side of Theo. A softer, more open side. It was even funny at times, seeing how many times he could make Theo blush. He was careful not to let it go too far, though. He didn’t want Theo to think he was making fun of him. It was supposed to be playful banter between friends. He didn’t want to come off mean or insensitive, and yet, that’s how he felt now. As if he’d let Theo down. Even if he hadn’t meant to.

He called Deaton as soon as he closed the door to his room. It wasn’t as successful as he had hoped. It did, at least, get them further than last time. There was a promising sign that they knew what they were dealing with, from the start this time. If they were right, they could save a lot of time and stress. Not to mention, less research was always good.

Unfortunately, Deaton couldn’t be sure. Not by phone. Deaton insisted he needed to see Theo in person, before giving a ‘conclusive prognosis’. Much to his surprise, Theo hadn’t put up a fight. There wasn’t a single complaint or refusal. No trace of unease. It was as if Theo didn’t care. The perfect picture of apathy. It was that very composure that told him something was wrong. The calm quiet screamed distress. This had to be affecting Theo. It wasn’t possible to be this collected. Not given the circumstances. Theo had locked everything inside; hidden his emotions so deep, that even he couldn’t see them. He was worried what would happen, if anything were to break the fragile wall Theo had constructed for protection.

The drive over was quiet. Neither dared speak. He didn’t want to risk pushing Theo too far. He didn’t want to cause Theo to snap. It could go sideways easily; anything could set Theo off. By the time they reached the clinic, Theo was out of the car before the truck was fully parked. He had to grab the steering wheel and change seats to stop the truck. Which, he’d like to point out, is not an easy feat. Not when you have seconds before you hit the side of a building. The fact Theo hadn’t taken the time to do it himself, risking damage to the front of his truck, was proof enough of the Chimera’s stress.

In any other situation, you’d have to be insane to touch the truck. He didn’t know why, but it was Theo’s most important possession. He couldn’t begin to understand how much significance Theo put on the truck. It may be just a piece of metal designed to drive you around to him, but to Theo, it seemed to mean everything. Which is why it was a telling sign, and not a positive one, that Theo was willing to risk letting it crash. The fact was, Theo wasn’t thinking about that. The only thought on Theo’s mind right now, was that of the curse.

He met an agitated Theo inside. They stood in silence, Theo refusing to look at him, while they waited for Deaton to finish with an unexpected walk-in. No wonder Theo was so agitated. They’d come all this way, only to have to wait. It was sad to see the dog in pain, but he really wished Deaton would hurry it up. He didn’t want the dog to suffer, but right now, Theo was suffering.

The delay was wreaking havoc on the Chimera’s already frayed nerves. As much as Theo tried to hide it, he knew how worried and stressed Theo was. He wanted nothing more than to offer some comfort, some way to ease the tension which was growing with every second spent in this room. Every second spent without an answer. He would have, too, if he didn’t think he’d get his head bitten off.  
Just as he thought Theo was going to break in, the exam room door opened. The lady walked out holding her dog, his leg now bandaged. Deaton followed a step behind, addressing the woman.

“Rufus’ leg will heal shortly. Come back in a week, and I’ll examine how well his bones are mending. Ensure you keep the cast dry.”  
He smiled politely as the woman passed, turning back to Deaton as the door swung closed behind them.  
“Theo. Liam. Come through.”

Not a moment too soon. He could see the drops of blood on Theo’s hand, claws having only now receded. The wait and what was clearly now an involuntary approach by Theo, had taken their toll. He had just started to process the frequency of which Theo inflicted harm on himself, in the name of controlling his emotions, when he heard an irritated ‘Liam’.

He found he was now alone in the waiting room, Theo staring back impatient and expectant. The door was held open, a cue for him to move.  
Right. Curse. There was no time to waste. He’d have to put the thought aside for now, but he _would_ be revisiting it.

Once behind closed doors, Deaton had barely turned to face them before Theo was speaking.  
“I didn’t come here to listen to you discuss broken legs. We’ve already lost enough time while you played doctor. I don’t need to hear about someone’s dog. I _need_ to know about this stupid curse.”  
“Theo. Give Deaton a chance.”  
“He’s _had_ a chance, Liam. We’ve been waiting for 30 minutes because of a _dog_.”

You’d think Theo was the only person with problems. True, Theo’s were more unique and concerning than most, but still. They weren’t the only people who needed help.  
Deaton, as always, remained passive. There was no sign Theo’s anger had disturbed the man in the slightest.  
“I may be a Druid and an Emissary, but I am still a vet. Treating animals may only be 90% of my work, but it is a part of it, nonetheless.”  
“Just get on with it.”

Theo was far from in the mood to talk. Not unless it held the answers they were looking for. The answers they needed. Lately, Theo had been more understanding. There had been an intentional effort on Theo’s part to consider the needs of others. It was nice to see a side of Theo that was no longer cold and callous.

It was a nice change to be able to spend time together, and not want to tear his hair out. More importantly, it was nice that he didn’t feel like punching Theo every other second, anymore. Given the current situation though, as much as he wished Theo was less aggressive right now, he also understood the frustration and anxiety. He understood the stakes.

“Very well, then.” Deaton merely moved to stand near the bench before turning back to them. As calm as ever. “What spell did the witch recite?”  
“Superbia ante quod cadere. Quia omnis ut hibere.” He noticed Theo staring at him. Unwaveringly. “What? Unlike you, I listened to her.”

The inevitable eye roll was unwelcome and unnecessary, but he chose to ignore it. Bigger problems and all. Everyone had their own way of dealing with stress and fear, and Theo, well... Theo’s just so happened to be in the form of dismissive tendencies.  
“Pride before the fall. A servant to all, for all to control.” The translation came uniformed and unemotional. As if Deaton didn’t just use the word ‘servant’ to describe Theo. As if that wasn’t possibly the worst thing anyone could have said.

“Which means what exactly?” Theo was tense. It was obvious. A slip in Theo’s hold on his heartbeat, revealed a very telling rise in pace. That in and of itself, was proof enough of how worried Theo was.  
“It means,” Deaton barely blinked. “That as long as you are under the effects of this particular curse, you will be compelled to follow any and all commands given. The person responsible for the command will bear no change on the overall outcome. There will be an urge to comply all the same.”

Theo’s hands shook from the exertion of restraining his claws, teeth threatening to crack under the audible pressure. “No. You’re lying.”  
“I assure you, Theo. I have no reason to deceive you.”  
In the blink of an eye, the anger won out. One minute Theo was staring Deaton down, and the next, there was a clawed fist in Deaton’s shirt. A growl rose, menacing and unrestrained. He imagined this was what he looked like during an outburst.

“Theo. Please, let go.” Nothing. “I’m asking you to let Deaton go.” Still no response. No change. Theo remained on the defensive, hand never leaving Deaton’s shirt. If anything, the grip actually tightened. This was bad. Very bad. If Theo didn’t stop, if Theo lashed out... there was no telling how Theo would react. Not if Deaton was hurt. Not if it was caused by Theo’s hand. He really didn’t want to force it, but he might not have a choice. As much as it would devastate Theo-

A low, strained voice cut through his thoughts.  
“I want the truth.”  
“This is the truth, Theo. I wish it wasn’t, but it is.” He hoped he could get through to Theo. They needed to find even ground, or as even as could be found right now, and fast.  
“No. No, it’s not. It _can’t_ be.” The death grip slipped a little more, easing as the anger subsided and was replaced by soft unbridled fear.

“You saw what happened at my house. It’s pretty clear why.” He really did wish they were wrong. He’d give anything to be wrong. To free Theo from this burden.  
“I- I can’t...”  
“Nothing I say is going to make this better. I’m not going to pretend it will. What I will say, is we’ll try. We’ll do whatever it takes to fix this. I promise.”

Theo looked at him. Swallowed. Eyes closed. For a moment, he thought he’d gotten through, that he’d reached the Chimera. He thought that he’d managed to ease the weight, if only slightly, but then Theo shuddered. A reflex and response to the unwanted news. The fear was still there, unchanged, when Theo’s eyes opened.

“No. No, I don’t believe you. I don’t believe either of you.” On the bright side, Theo finally released Deaton, (who appeared unfazed and hadn’t so much as blinked, since the rough hold). On the other hand, Theo was slowly backing away, becoming increasingly worked up. “You’re wrong. You’re _wrong_. I’m not- I can’t- No. No, just... no.”

“”You saw it for yourself, Theo. You couldn’t stop doing what I told you to at home. You nearly walked in front of two cars, Theo. How else do you explain it?”  
“Maybe... maybe I was tired. I just wasn’t thinking.” It sounded almost desperate. Like Theo was begging them to agree. Like he _needed_ them to agree.  
“I wish that were all, Theo. I do, but you know as well as I do, that it’s more than that.”

Theo’s heart dropped. Any remnants of hope were gone. He hated being the one to have taken that away. He hated that Theo couldn’t even hold onto some much needed hope, right now. They had both known it would come to this. Maybe not in quite those words, (servant had definitely been unappreciated), but the end result was the same.

It was the only explanation for Theo’s behaviour earlier; they’d both known Deaton would come to the same conclusion he had. That didn’t stop it from hurting. Hearing it out loud made it real. It made it undeniable. Theo could no longer claim this wasn’t happening. They had to face it.

“How...” Theo stopped to take a deep breath, to even out his heartbeat. To regain control of his chemosignals. “How do we fix it?”  
“There is little that can be done.”  
Deaton was lucky that wasn’t the end of the answer. Theo suddenly appeared ready to snap, (not that he blamed Theo), and he wasn’t far behind. He wasn’t sure it would have ended well if Deaton had stopped there. He wasn’t sure he could hold back a frightened Theo, and if his IED were to flare up... well, it’s fair to say it would be a disaster.

Theo might not admit it, but he could see the fear in those green eyes. The fear threatening to breach and be seen by more than just him. Thankfully for everyone there, Deaton did, in fact, continue. Thus, the inevitable melee was held at bay.  
“As with the previous curse, one designed to teach a person a lesson can only be undone by the witch responsible for casting the spell.”  
Oh, no. Not again.

“Unless, that is, you were to relieve her of her powers. Without its source, magic cannot survive. If you were to strip this witch of her powers on a full moon, rendering her human, the spell would dissolve on its own.”  
Why wasn’t that mentioned last time? Why was that a possibility now and not with Belladonna?

“I spoke to the coven-”  
Wait. He hadn’t spoken, so how did Deaton know... oh. Turns out, Theo had asked the very questions he’d been thinking. They seemed to be on the same page lately. More than usual.  
“-after your previous predicament-”  
Theo’s eyes narrowed. Not the best idea to keep referring to the whole ‘gender swap’ curse.  
“-and received special permission to utilise a limited array of emergency spells. We were granted the use of such spells under explicit orders not to abuse their power. I believe this would constitute an emergency by the coven’s eyes. If left unchecked, it could have severe ramifications.”

That had to be the worst thing Deaton could have said, right now. Theo was downright _furious_ , and the tether holding it back finally snapped. “Oh, well I’m glad the coven have deemed me worthy of their help. As long as I’m not an inconvenience or risking their _precious_ spells. I wouldn’t want to be a burden or anything. Thank goodness me being ordered around like a _puppet_ is dangerous enough to receive such a privilege.”

“Theo, try to understand. The coven do not usually intervene in human affairs such as this. You are, in fact, lucky they have agreed to assist you once, let alone twice.”  
Okay. Maybe they were lucky in one sense, but it was rather arrogant in his opinion, that they should get to decide who was worthy of assistance. Why should someone be left to suffer because they refused to offer any help? Not that it mattered. It’s not like they could use it, anyway.

For the first time in a long time, they knew exactly what to do and they couldn’t go through with it. How could they be so close, and yet still so far from getting past this? Theo must be beside himself. The realisation both options were either undesirable or out of the question... He couldn’t begin to imagine what Theo was thinking, right now.  
Or maybe he could.

One look at those eyes, and he knew _exactly_ what Theo was planning.  
“No.”  
Theo just glared at him. As though he were in the wrong. As if it were _him_ suggesting they take the woman’s powers.  
“I’m not going to stand back and watch you hurt her, Theo.”  
“No one’s talking about hurting her. The ritual’s harmless. Do you really think Deaton would have even suggested it, if that was the case?”

“That’s not the point!” He was not hearing this. How could Theo be so blatantly cruel? Theo wasn’t that person anymore. They’d been through too much for that to be true. He knew Theo too well to believe that. So, why? How could Theo go through with something so unfair? “I won’t watch you take away what is rightfully her’s.”  
“Then, don’t. I can do this myself.”  
It was impossible, (for him at least), to miss the hurt. It was obvious in those seven words. Despite claiming otherwise, Theo wanted him here. Theo wanted his help.  
He wanted to be there for Theo, and he _would_. Just not like this.

“You’re talking about stripping her of her magic. It’s not like taking a bag from someone. It’s a part of her. It’s who she is. It’s the same as when you were human again. You hated it. You hated being forced to go through that. It’s not fair to put her through the same lack of identity.”  
“She’s a witch, Liam! I’m only in this mess because she just _had_ to curse me!”  
“You’re _in_ this mess because you don’t know how to keep your mouth shut and listen.” He couldn’t care less if Theo was offended by that or not. It was the truth. It was time Theo realised that. “She doesn’t deserve to lose her powers, due to your inability to do as your told.

“No good has ever come from witches. My previous encounters are reason enough to be wary.”  
“That doesn’t excuse the utter disrespect you showed.”  
“ _Liam_.”  
Oh, hell no. “You did _not_ just growl at me.”  
“If you don’t like it, then go home. I’m doing what I have to.”  
“No.”  
“I’m not arguing with you, Liam. This is happening whether you like it or not.”  
“No, it’s not.”

And there it was. The pure rage. The uncontainable nerves. The raw fear. It was all right there, flooding Theo’s gaze. Green turned to gold. A visible threat.  
“I’m not staying like this!”  
“Did I say that you were? I never said we weren’t going to do something. I just said this isn’t the answer. That wasn’t the only option.”

“You want to _talk_ to her? _Seriously?_ Do you know how _ridiculous_ that is? Do you have any idea how hard it was the first time? Have you forgotten the last time I tried to ‘talk to a witch’, Belladonna stripped away the extra clothing I had on? Have you forgotten that _Stiles_ saw me? Or the _constant_ jokes at my expense? The same jokes that I had to endure for _two months?!_ ”  
“No, Theo. I haven’t. You seem to have forgotten, though, that I’m the one who put a stop to Stiles’ comments. _I_ made Malia and Stiles leave you alone. I’m the one who made them stop teasing you.”

“Maybe so, but you didn’t stop the looks. The knowledge that Stiles saw and Malia knew. Oh, then there’s the fact that Stiles has yet to decide how to make me ‘repay my debt’. Yes, that’s how Stiles phrased it. I don’t even want to know what he’ll make me do.”  
Theo didn’t stop there. In fact, it only got louder, Theo’s anger growing.  
“As for talking to witches, the only reason it worked with Belladonna is because she isn’t pure evil. This woman, on the other hand, threw a tantrum over an old stone.”  
“A _sacred_ stone, Theo. It was a sacred stone, and we weren’t supposed to be there. It’s a place of worship and holds a strong meaning. We were trespassing-”

“I’m not about to risk another curse or worse, by trusting that woman to see reason. We’re planning for the ritual, preparing, then, and _only then_ , will we approach her. I don’t want any surprises this time.”  
“This isn’t _right_ , Theo.”  
“I’m so _sick_ of talking about what’s right! What about what’s right for me?! What about what _I_ want?!” Theo was furious. It was obvious in every word, every shouted question. “I’m doing it, and that’s final. You can’t stop me.”

“Actually, I can.” Now, more than ever. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but Theo gave him no other choice. Steeling himself against the suspicious, confused stare from Theo, he continued. “Do not touch that witch. Do _not_ even _try_ to take her powers.”

It was instant. Just like that, everything changed. The confusion and suspicion were replaced by a livid glare. Theo was positively seething. Nor did he miss the sharp look of betrayal.  
“Don’t you _dare_ use this against me!”  
He had to push down the regret pooling in his throat, threatening to make him revoke the order. He couldn’t back down. Not now. Not about this. As much as it hurt to see the pain in Theo’s eyes, this was too important.  
“I don’t want to, Theo, but you can’t go around doing whatever you want. You need to think before you act, and if you can’t do that, then I’ll have to do it for you.”

Theo stormed out. In the blink of an eye, the previously occupied space in front of him was empty. The clinic door slammed shut in Theo’s wake. Silence. Fantastic. Deaton appeared unfazed, as always. Big surprise. How did the man stay so calm? How did Deaton maintain an even composure, when the rest of them were spiralling out of control?  
That was a question for another time, though. Right now, he needed to find Theo. He needed to apologise and make Theo understand. Deaton agreed to speak to the coven about any possible way around the usual solutions, even though in Deatons words, ‘the chances of obtaining the answer [they were] seeking, are minimal.

He didn’t care.  
Minimal or not, he had to try.


	7. Liam

“I’m sorry.”  
Nothing. The silence continued as Theo drove.  
“What do you want me to say?”  
Theo stared ahead, eyes fixed on the road ahead. Hands clenched on the steering wheel.  
“I didn’t have a choice.”  
Groaning metal. If Theo held the wheel any tighter, it would splinter.  
“Are you going to ignore me the entire time?”  
Nothing. Yet again. The same stony silence. The same glare locked on solely on the road ahead. The same impossible Chimera refusing to forgive him.  
“Talk to me.”

Theo slammed the brakes. The sudden jolt left him reeling; his head cracked painfully against the dashboard. He vaguely registered the irritable ‘damn it’ from the seat next to him, but it was muffled. Distant, almost. By the time his vision was free of spots, and the gash to his head had healed, his door opened and he fell backwards. No. He was _dragged_ back. The ground was hard and unforgiving; not the ideal surface to be pulled down onto. New spots filled his vision, casting a haze over his surroundings. Hands were on him, grabbing him from behind.

He was not about to be attacked. Not this time. He was _so_ not in the mood. He had too much to deal with already. He still had to make it up to Theo. He still had to find a way to make the Chimera talk to him. He hadn’t been given anything since they’d left the clinic. Theo hadn’t said a single word as he climbed into the truck, hadn’t even spared him a glance. No, Theo just turned the key in the ignition and pulled out.

This was one problem too many, and he did not appreciate being interrupted. As soon as he’d regained his footing, partially assisted by this mystery person forcing him up, he took aim. Claws out, he lunged forward. He struck flesh immediately; the cool, sticky feeling of blood dripping down his hand. The loud hiss it elicited was drowned out by a muffled groan. His fist collided with something solid; the extremity, (it was too small to be anything else), shifting under the force. He heard the unmistakable sound of cartilage tearing.

“Liam.”  
It was rough; pained. He knew that voice.  
As the fog clouding his vision finally cleared, allowing him to take in the scene uninhibited, he cursed. There in front of him, was Theo. Clutching his nose with blood covered hands.  
“Theo?”  
“What was that for?!” That confident, smooth voice was tinged with pain. The words uttered through a stream of blood and anger.

“I thought you were attacking me.” The glare he received was furious and... hurt? Oh no. “Not like that. I didn’t mean _you_. I meant I thought someone was. I hit my head when you stopped the truck. I couldn’t see. I didn’t know who it was. All I knew was someone had forced me out.”  
“You broke my nose!” Theo screamed, letting his hands fall now that his nose had healed.  
“You grabbed me without warning! What did you expect?!”

“I didn’t expect to be assaulted! I didn’t think you’d have a mental breakdown! What is _wrong_ with you, Liam?!”  
Oh, screw this. He was _so_ not in the mood. “ _You_ slammed the brakes! I thought I was protecting myself!”  
“You did it again!”  
“Did _what_ again?”  
Was it too much to ask for an explanation? One which made sense. One that didn’t leave him more and more confused with every passing second. Why was Theo so worked up?  
“You told me what to do! You forced me to listen to you! You _made_ me do this!”

“I...”  
Oh. He had. Without thinking, he had ordered Theo to answer. To talk to him. No wonder Theo was angry. He would be too had the situation been reversed. He really should have known as soon as Theo begun explaining. Correction. He should have known the moment Theo spoke. Without the compulsion of the curse, Theo would have remained silent for longer. A lot longer. He’d have been lucky if Theo spoke to him, within anything short of a month.

And yet, here they were, having an entire conversation, (screaming included), in less time than it took to drive home. This should have been impossible.  
“I didn’t mean to.” It wasn’t much. He knew that, but what else could he say? It’s not like Theo was ready to listen, anyway. A fact that was proven only seconds later.  
“Is that supposed to make it better? To make it okay?” A new degree of bitterness filled Theo’s voice. He had reminded and shown Theo exactly what lay in store, should the wrong people learn of this. It was a prime example of the danger that lurked in the shadows. With three simple words, he had left Theo powerless.

Theo was hurt, and it was because of him. That wasn’t something he could forget. Nor could he forgive himself for it.  
“I’m sorry, Theo. I’m trying. I am. It’s a lot harder to think through every word I use, than I’d thought. I never realised how often I use directive wording. I never realised how easily it slips out. I promise I’ll be more careful with what I say, from now on. I just want you to understand.”

“Oh, I understand. You care more about that witch, than me.”  
Shit. He hadn’t meant for it to sound like that.  
“That’s not true, Theo.” This wasn’t working. They were no closer to peace, than they were when Theo was ignoring him. “Am I reluctant to punish her in such a permanent way? Of course. I don’t want her to go through what you went through. I don’t want her to know what it’s like to be rendered powerless.”  
Theo refused to look at him.

“Listen, Theo. This isn’t about the witch. Not really. It’s about you. It’s about the fact you’ve been helping us. You’ve been getting better. You’ve been more comfortable here.”  
If he didn’t know any better, he’d have thought Theo’s heart skipped a beat. Then again, there was a strange tension in the air. Theo had let emotions slip out from behind the mask, lately. “I don’t want you to go back to ignoring people’s feelings. I don’t want you to go back to that cruel persona.”

Finally, Theo turned to face him. A conflicting look of disbelief and vulnerability shone in those eyes. An openness he wasn’t used to, even after everything they’d been through during the previous two curses. This was something new entirely. This was a sign of hope, of trust he had yet to see.  
“I know you want this to end, Theo. I know this sounds like the easiest and safest way to do that, but Theo, it’s not. If you do this, if you render her human, you’ll have to carry that with you for the rest of your life. You’ll have to remember you did that to her. Do you really want to be responsible for that?”

A sense of utter distress arose. Theo’s closed eyes and tired sigh gave him hope. Maybe he’d finally gotten through to Theo. Maybe he’d helped Theo see why they couldn’t go through with this plan. He held his breath when Theo looked at him. Defeated. It was a look he never wanted to see again.

“I can’t do this, Liam. I can’t be under someone’s control. Not again. I’ve been though it before, with the Dread Doctors...” Theo shivered. The light in Theo’s eyes dropped. Something was missing. That constant assurance Theo always had. It was nowhere to be seen. “I don’t- I can’t...”  
His heart clenched at the sight of a hand running through Theo’s hair. The pure distress visible in Theo’s expression. The desperate plea evident in those words. He hated seeing Theo like this.  
Scared.  
Powerless.  
Alone.

Theo should never have to feel like that. Ever. Here, is this moment, he knew without a doubt that he’d do anything for the Chimera. Theo had changed, and that earned Theo a second chance. They were friends, and he wasn’t about to let a friend suffer. Not if he could help it.

“I promise, Theo. We _will_ find another way. We always do. I know it’s not easy, and I don’t expect you to just cope with it. I know I wouldn’t. Just know I’m here for you. I’m here to help, and I won’t stop until we break this curse. Just like we broke the last two.”  
He waited in silence. Theo was staring at him. Eyes looking into his. Searching for an answer, for any sign of deception. He’d seen this before. When Morgana and Belladonna cast their curses, Theo had been wary and reluctant to believe he meant him no harm, as well. Theo had been hesitant to accept his help at face value.

He understood, of course. It wasn’t easy to trust someone after everything Theo had gone through. Especially after what they, (the Pack), had done.  
After growing up with the Dread Doctors, seen as nothing more than an experiment, a means to an end... it left marks. When you add the effects of being sent to hell... it left wounds not easily healed. He still hadn’t forgiven himself for his role in putting Theo through that. Sentencing Theo to hell was a mistake. One he wished desperately that he could take back.

He’d thought Theo was starting to trust him, and in a way, he had. There had been a change; no one could deny that. Something had formed between them. A certain extent of faith in one another, that neither would do anything to hurt the other. Not deliberately. There was an awareness that they had each other’s backs. That neither was alone.

And, in one day, he’d ruined that. He caused a layer of doubt to creep back in. All as a result of exploiting the curse, no matter how good his intentions were. There was also a part of Theo that was still holding back, that couldn’t let go of its caution. It was a means of self protection. One forged through years of pain, designed to keep Theo safe. Not only physically but emotionally. It was the notion that if you held your feelings close, if you locked them away, kept them buried deep within, then no one could hurt you.  
If you don’t allow yourself to be vulnerable, then no one can use your emotions against you.

Finally, Theo found what he was looking for. Reassurance that Theo wasn’t being lied to. In acknowledgement, he received a simple nod. It was all Theo could manage at the moment, and that was fine. He didn’t need any more than that. He wasn’t prepared to push too far.  
As they walked back to the truck, having removed Theo’s coerced urge to speak, they drove off without another word. He just hoped he could prove to Theo that he would always be there.


	8. Theo

He could do this. It wasn’t that hard.  
All he had to do was drop Liam off and go. Go home. To his truck. As always. There was no reason to say yes. No good could come of it. Just because Liam offered, didn’t mean he had to accept. He shouldn’t. He really should just leave. They were already in the driveway. Liam was already out of the truck. All he had to do was drive. Just close the door and drive. It was that simple.  
Only it wasn’t.  
Liam was watching him. Waiting.  
Liam expected an answer. One he knew would only hurt in the long run. Even though it was meant well, it could only cause him pain.  
He had to say no.

Liam must have known, if the exasperated sigh was an indicator. The way a hand coursed roughly through waves of luscious blond hair. The flicker of a challenge in those fierce blue eyes. A flash of what could only be determination. A twitch of hands. Skin, soft and soothing.  
Comforting.  
Supportive.  
Safe.

Hold on. Back up a minute. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t how he thought of Liam. He shouldn’t be noticing any of these. Not like this. He shouldn’t be... why was he? Why couldn’t he shake these thoughts? Why were they _still_ at the forefront of his mind?  
Okay. Just take a breath. It’s nothing. A strange anomaly. That’s all. It’ll fade on its own. All the more reason to leave. No point in pushing his luck.  
“I have to get home.”  
“You shouldn’t be alone, Theo.”  
“I can stay at my place, Liam. No one knows. I’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t enough. Liam wasn’t convinced. Liam would never be convinced. It’s time. Another protest was on the tip of Liam’s tongue, ready to be heard. To be acknowledged and heeded. He knew. He just knew if he didn’t leave now, that would be it. If he let Liam speak, if he heard what Liam had to say next, he’d be done for. He would break and say yes. He’d agree to stay without another thought. He couldn’t let that happen. There was too much to risk. Too much to lose.  
“I’ll see you around.”

With that, he’d pulled the door shut. Reversing out of the driveway, and let’s be honest, fleeing. Leaving a stunned Liam behind.


	9. Theo

He had no idea where he was. He’d been driving since Liam’s, aimless and unaware of his surroundings. It was dangerous and a trait he had never particularly liked, nor was it one he usually exhibited. Even as a child, he’d felt inclined to know where he was and where he was going, at all times. He hated not knowing. He hated the sense of unpredictability that entailed. He _hated_ being helpless. Then the Dread Doctors came, and it goes without saying, they instilled the importance of being aware at all times. Anything less than perfection would not be tolerated.  
It was a true testament to his state of mind, that he was unable to focus. There was only one thought on his mind. The same thought he’d had since he’d fled.  
 _Liam_.

He couldn’t understand why he’d had those thoughts. Why he’d been thinking of Liam that way. It would be confusing enough were it someone else, but Liam... it made no sense. Sure, they were friends, now. They’d come a long way, and he could finally admit that. It was new and comforting, also more than a little nerve-racking, given the fact it was such a foreign concept for him. In saying that, he knew that this wasn’t how friends thought of each other.

He might be new to this, but he knows friends don’t think about how soft their skin is, or how it would feel to have their arms wrapped around you during the night.  
Holding you, protecting you, wanting you...

Oh no. No, he couldn’t- he _couldn’t_. The screech of brakes tore through the quiet street. As soon as the truck came to a halt, he forced the door open and hauled himself out. The ground, solid and firm as it was, felt like it was caving in under him. The world around him felt as though it were collapsing in on itself. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t. How was he supposed to deal with this? This was too much.  
It was all too much.

He hunched forward, the violent tidal wave of nausea crashing through his stomach winning its battle. He knelt there, on the side of the road, emptying the contents of his stomach. Given the little amount it contained, the experience was all the more unpleasant. The only thing worse than vomiting on a full stomach, was the bile you coughed up when that was all you had.

He stayed there, retching and questioning his existence, until there was nothing left. He couldn’t make himself move. Couldn’t find the energy to do more than sit back against the truck. Despite the nauseating smell, he didn’t have the strength to go anywhere. The thought was still there. Stronger than ever.  
Was this some twisted form of punishment? Had he offended the universe somehow? More than usual? It must be. It was the only logical explanation. It was a cruel joke. _This wasn’t fair_. He was trying. He was trying to be good. To be a friend. To be _human_. He was trying, and this is what he gets in return.  
A crush.  
He has a crush on Liam.

So, this is how he goes out. The brunt of a joke, a pawn in the universe’s game, merely there to serve as a source of endless entertainment. He would never live this down. If the Pack found out, if _Liam_ found out... A shiver ran through him. It wasn’t something he wanted to think about.  
He had no idea what to do. How was he supposed to react to this? His entire world had been turned upside down. There was one thing he knew for sure, though. Whatever happened, he had to keep this to himself. No one could know.

His very dignity depended on it.


	10. Liam

A week. It had been a week since Theo left. A week of nothing.  
No contact.  
No answers.  
No sign of life.  
The only positive was they hadn’t found Theo’s body.

He was overreacting. He had to be. There was no reason to believe Theo was in any danger. It was Theo, after all. Than again, it was also Beacon Hills. You never know what’s hiding in the shadows. As powerful as Theo is, he’s not invincible. A chimera, even one who’s been through everything Theo has, is still mortal. The Dread Doctor’s experiments may have been designed to enhance the body and strengthen the mind, (warped as it were), but a chimera can still bleed. Skin can still be torn, emotions reactivated.  
Theo was proof of that.

Hell changes a person. Even one as strong as Theo. As much as he knows Theo can handle most problems, as strong as Theo is, no one is immune to pain. No one is immune to fear. They’d seen as much when they sent Theo to hell. The way Theo clawed at the ground, desperate to escape. The confusion and urgency in those green eyes, when he and Hayden freed Theo. He’d never forgive himself for his role in sending Theo there. In forcing Theo to face unknown horrors.

Then add in the the obedience curse, and anything could have happened. He’d practically driven Theo away. He had thought they were on somewhat even ground. Don’t get him wrong, he’s not naive. He knew it wasn’t the same between them. Not after he’d controlled Theo. No matter the reason or intentions behind it, he’d hurt Theo and he had to live with that. He had a long way to go in order to make it up to Theo. Hopefully one day, Theo would forgive him.

The worst part was not knowing where Theo was and whether he’s okay. The idea that something could have happened, that Theo could be hurt or worse, and it would be his fault.

If only Theo would answer his phone. Even if it was just to tell him to go away. Anything would be better than this silence.


	11. Theo

It took two weeks before he could bring himself to face anyone, let alone Liam. He’d refused to even talk to the beta, despite the constant messages. It was a recipe for disaster, and one he couldn’t risk. There was no way to keep in contact, and not lose his mind. He did however, eventually reply with one short text. Just enough to let Liam know he was safe. Even if it only resulted in an increased slew of questions.

It wasn’t easy to keep his distance, though. After that first week, Liam had begun hunting him. There were more than a few close calls. More than a few times where Liam almost found him. One time in particular left him in hiding. Quite literally. He had actually crossed the town border, in the hopes that Liam wouldn’t find him. The one time he’d been cornered, nearly outed his current living situation.

He’d been sleeping only moments before. When he’d woken in a panic, unsure of where he was or whether he was safe, the last thing he’d been expecting was to hear Liam’s heartbeat. It went unnoticed at first, given the state he was in, and he only realised seconds before Liam was at his door. He’d _just_ managed to hide the pillow and blanket, hastily sweeping them under the seats, but couldn’t cover his fear.

How did he explain? How could he reasonably answer why he was in his parked truck, in the middle of the night, on the other side of town? How could he explain why he was so frantic, without giving himself away? In the end, he didn’t need to. Liam figured it out. Or at least, he did in part. The part about him being worried about the curse. About what it meant. About what would happen if anyone were to find out.

None of which was a lie. It was one of the reasons staying away from Liam, had been so hard. It meant he didn’t have anyone to help fix it, let alone take his mind off the problem. He’d gone to see Deaton himself, but it had proved pointless as always. Nothing had changed. There was no other way. He either had to convince the witch to have mercy or take her powers.

He’d even spoken to Derek. That had been the reason they’d finally managed to break the last curse, after all. Under the strict instruction not to tell Stiles or the Pack. Unfortunately, he received the same answer Deaton had given him. 

Liam’s command left him unable to even consider the latter, and he hadn’t forgotten that. He still held lingering resentment towards the beta. As much as Liam had helped in the past, and as much as he had come to understand his feelings, he hadn’t forgiven Liam for that.

For the first time since the hunters’ war, he didn’t know if he could trust Liam. Not completely. Whilst he knew that Liam would never set out to intentionally hurt him, doubts had crept in. There was no doubt that Liam would protect him from anyone who meant him harm; anyone who wanted to render him subservient.

The question was, would there be a repeat of their fight at the clinic? If he disagreed with Liam again, would he be forced to follow suit? As much as he didn’t want to keep more secrets, he had started questioning what wouldn’t pose that risk. He had begun to question what he should and shouldn’t tell Liam.

There was also the fact that he was homeless, but he wasn’t planning on filling the beta in on that part, either. Once again, he was subjected to an invitation to stay with Liam. To have someone around to help. Again, he was forcibly encouraged to lean on someone. Reminded that he didn’t have to do this alone. He wanted to accept. He really did. He wanted to go back, bury himself under those unbelievably soft blankets and never come out. He wanted to have a home. A family.  
He wanted it all.

But it was a dream. A hopeless wish that could never come true.

He was so close to saying yes, to letting himself pretend. It took everything he had, every ounce of strength left, to hold back. To remain distant. Refusing was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, and it was only made worse, when he saw the question etched into Liam’s features. A look that screamed Liam knew there was more than meets the eye; that he was hiding something.

By some miracle, Liam didn’t push the point. His resistance was accepted, at least for now, and that was the end of the conversation. Or, it would have been, except Liam decided that was the perfect opportunity to discuss his lack of contact.

After what felt like an eternity, and a guaranteed promise to stay in touch, he was finally able to breathe. He watched Liam leave, questioning how he was ever going to make this work. Each day brought forth more secrets. His feelings for Liam. Living in his truck. Thoughts on the curse.

There had to be a way to fix this. He had to find a way. No one could know.


	12. Theo

Okay. Just breathe. It’s just Liam. There’s nothing to be worried about. Just knock.  
Hand raised, the door swung open and Liam came barrelling out. Without looking, or stopping for that matter. The force of Liam colliding with him, sent him stumbling backwards. His head hit the concrete hard as he fell. Groaning, he blinked as someone gasped and frantic hands gripped his shoulders.

“Theo! Are you alright?!”  
“Oh, I don’t know, Liam. What do you think?” He felt justified in his irritation. After all, he was just unceremoniously pushed into the ground. Blinking, his eyes refused to clear. The spots continued to flicker in his vision, casting a haze over everything he laid eyes on.  
“I’m sorry!”  
As Liam hoisted him up, he was overcome by a wave of dizziness. It was so unexpected, so sudden, that he wasn’t prepared for the sheer force of it. As he collapsed, the darkness too strong to hold off, he felt someone stopping his fall. Arms wrapped around him, bracing him as it all slipped away.

~

It took a moment to gather his thoughts. He was at a loss as to what happened. Think. Where was he? He was lying down, somewhere soft. Pushing himself up, he took in the familiar sight of Liam’s room. If he was here, then... it all came flooding back. Approaching the door, Liam barrelling out, hitting his head...

He’d fainted. Just what he needed. Like he hadn’t embarrassed himself enough, as it was. Not only that, but it was in front of Liam. There was something else, as well, or rather, _someone_ else. Exactly who that was, he didn’t know. He didn’t have a chance to see the person, before being pushed over, and he didn’t remember recognising another scent.  
“You’re awake.”

In the confusion, he’d missed the door opening. Liam looked relieved and remorseful. It was a striking combination.  
“You never did take it slow, did you?”  
“I didn’t know you were coming over.”

Clearly.  
“I thought maybe we could talk about...”  
He stopped, hand frozen mid-way through his hair. Fingers twitching, coursing over something rough and padded. Restrictive.  
“Theo?”  
He let his fingers move, following the (fabric?) as it wrapped around the side of his head. His eyes found Liam’s, taking in the creases on either side. Those downturned lips. Telltale signs of a cringing beta, that knew more than he’d let on.

“I can explain-”  
His feet moved of their own accord, carrying him to the mirror beside the door. Liam must have added it since his last visit. The sight before him was strange, to say the least.  
“Liam, why am I covered in bandages?”  
His head from the forehead up, was almost completely white with gauze. Straight, even lines. It was quite professional in its application.  
“Well, you see-”

“You should be in bed!” A high-pitched, authoritative voice rose behind him. There in the doorway, was a young girl he’d never seen before. “I _will_ come over there.”  
He felt his eyebrow rise in shock, his gaze falling on Liam, questioningly.  
“Theo, meet my cousin, Luana.”  
That explains the unfamiliar scent. It didn’t explain however, why she was still staring at him. It was rather unsettling, if he were honest.

“Hi.”  
“This is not the time for hellos. It’s too early to be up.”  
Was she serious? It would be nice if Liam would enlighten him as to what was going on here. Liam seemed to read his mind, because a moment later, he got his answer.  
“Luana wants to be a doctor. When you fell, she took it on herself to help you heal.” Liam’s shy smile made his heart flutter.

He had to shake this before Liam noticed. He couldn’t let his feelings be known. Brown eyes met his, boring into his soul. He sounded ridiculous. She’s just a little girl. There’s no way she knew anything, and there’s definitely no reason to be intimidated. He’s not scared of a child. He’s not. He doesn’t care how much Luana stares at him. Unflinching. Relentless. Eyebrow raised, (seriously? How old is this girl?)... no. _No_. He is _not_ afraid of Liam’s cousin.  
He’s not...

“That’s it.” Luana took a step forward, then another. There was this look in her eye, one Liam shared. It was unsettling to see that irritation, that determination in someone so small. Someone so innocent. Someone who was heading his way. A hand gripped his arm, pressing with a surprising amount of strength. As she pulled forward, he found himself following. He could have stopped her, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Why does he have the feeling this kid’s stronger than she looks?  
As he was guided to lay down, the blankets lifted to rest over him once again, he saw Liam. He noticed the twitch of lips. He heard the small escape of air. Liam was trying not to laugh. Oh, great. Now, he was a joke.

He laid there, Liam watching on in amused silence, whilst Luana ‘tended to his wounds’. The cut and likely concussion had long since healed, but he couldn’t tell her that. He had to admit, she was rather gentle. In contrast to her earlier demonstration, she was kind and soft. He was provided with soup, had his pillow fluffed and was offered a toy for comfort. Luana made it clear that no wasn’t an answer, which is why he now had a teddy bear resting beside him.

There was one moment, though, that raised a problem. His chest constricting at the thought. The one time Luana demanded he tell her a secret. Anything that came out would be compromising. Be it the supernatural, his homelessness or, worse still, his crush. An answer was already forming on the tip of his tongue, when Liam spoke. Forcefully, at that. Within seconds, Liam had countered the demand by telling him to answer only if he wanted to. After that, Luana was given an extremely forceful discussion about the need to ‘ask, not tell’.

Liam was really trying to make up for using the curse against him. Remarkably, there were no further incidents.

It was an hour later, when Jenna and Luana’s mother returned. To find him with a thermometer in his mouth, and Luana painting his nails. Smiling, they informed Luana it was time to leave, (oh thank goodness). He was offered a hug, which he returned rather awkwardly and a final reminder to rest. Once they were finally gone, he sighed in relief. The peace was broken only a second later, when Liam started laughing. It had been brewing the entire time, and now it didn’t stop.  
“This isn’t funny, Liam.”

“I-I’m sorry. It’s just- that was too cute!”  
The heat he felt flooding his cheeks, increased his discomfort. Please, _please_ let this be over soon. _Please_ let this be a nightmare. Sadly, it was all too real and Liam was nowhere near done.  
“I didn’t expect you to listen to Luana. I thought you’d refuse to play. I never thought...”  
A new bout of laughter erupted. That’s it. He wasn’t prepared to stay here and take this. He made for the door, tearing the bandages off, and he would have left, were it not for Liam blocking the way.

“Please don’t be like that, Theo. Look, I’ll stop. I promise.”  
Liam, true to his word, reigned in his amusement. Was it still there? Yes. Was it still obvious? Yes. Was it still so theatrical? No. A massive relief, to say the least.  
“How old is she, anyway?”  
“Six.”  
Fantastic, he thought drily. This just kept getting better.  
“I really do think it’s sweet, Theo. You didn’t have to go along with the act, but you did. Thank you for that.”

Like he had a choice. He couldn’t exactly let her know he was completely fine, and not that he would tell Liam, but he didn’t believe Luana would accept a ‘no’. He was just relieved she hadn’t specifically instructed and ordered him to do too much. Liam had put an end to that immediately.  
“No one is to know about this.” He narrowed his gaze at Liam’s small smile. “I mean it, Liam. _No one_ knows.”  
“It’ll be our secret.”

Just what he needed. “Right. I’ll just be going.”  
“Wait. You wanted to talk about something?”  
“It doesn’t matter.” He tried to leave again, but Liam wouldn’t budge.  
“It’s the curse, isn’t it?”  
He sighed and sat on the floor, head against the wall. Liam followed and sat beside him.  
“Look, Theo. I don’t know why you ran off the other day. I can only assume it was because of what happened at the clinic. I do know you didn’t stop looking, though. I know you spoke to Deaton and Derek. Our options haven’t changed, Theo.”

He shifted uncomfortably, well aware of where this was going. “Liam-”  
“At least try to talk to her. Please. If it doesn’t work, then we’ll go through with the ritual. I promise. Just try. Please.”

His eyes snapped to the beta beside him. That was not what he’d expected to hear. Not after being forbidden from so much as thinking about the possibility.  
“You’ll let me take her powers?” He’d be lying if he said he weren’t suspicious. It was a drastic change. Liam’s sigh did little to ease his confusion.

“I shouldn’t have done that, Theo. I had no right to take away your choice. I really am sorry.” Taking a deep breath, Liam continued. “If it’s what you think is best, then we’ll do it. I still think we can work it out, though. I still think that if we just talk to her, we can explain. I’m sure we can convince her to take the curse back.”

“What if she doesn’t? All I did was break a stone, and yes, I know it was important, but do I really deserve this? Do I really deserve to be sentenced to a life as a servant? Do I deserve to have no free will?” By the end of his response, his anger and betrayal had slipped out. The final question sounded bitter, but really, who could blame him? Yes, he had made a mistake, and okay, he probably could have handled the confrontation better, but this was an extremely unfair punishment.  
The guilt in Liam’s eyes did not go unnoticed. Nor did the way the beta shifted uncomfortably beside him.

“Theo, I’m sorry.”  
“I wasn’t talking about you-”  
“Yes, you were. Maybe not only me, but I was a part of it. I forced my opinion on you and stopped you from having a say. You’re right. You don’t deserve to have anyone push their ideas on you. You should be able to decide for yourself.”

Just like that, the string of thoughts and emotions he’d been burying, came flooding out. He couldn’t hold back anymore. Liam needed to know.

“Do you have any idea how that felt? I thought I could trust you. I thought I could trust you, of all people, to understand. Sure, we disagreed, but why does that mean you get to-” He broke off suddenly, his anger getting the best of him. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he was a little calmer. More focused. He wanted to make Liam see it had hurt. He couldn’t do that if he started screaming. “You can’t just assume I’ll always take your side, Liam. You don’t know everything, and sometimes, other people know what’s right.”  
Liam looked like a kicked puppy. The scent of regret and shame was potent. It was almost palpable.

“You’re right. I thought I was protecting you. I thought I was preventing further confrontations, but all I did was act as if you can’t think for yourself. If you want to go straight to the ritual, we will.”

They could, and he wanted to. He wanted to take something from the witch, like she’d taken his free will. He wanted to show her how it feels to be powerless, but that was his vindictive side coming through. It was calling for him to make her pay for what she’d done. To show her what happens when someone messes with him. He couldn’t let it win. The thought of reverting to his previous self... it scared him.

Deaton had also explained the ritual had to be performed on a full moon, under a June sky. Why magic had to be so specific, was beyond him. It only made everything that much more complicated. There was also only one full moon in June, and that was just over three weeks away.  
He didn’t want to wait, if they didn’t have to. Not if there was a faster way. 

“Okay.” He relented. Liam’s narrowed gaze called for more information. Sighing, he continued. “We can speak to the witch first, but Liam, if this doesn’t work-”  
“We take her powers. Absolutely.”  
Liam was beaming. His heart flipped at the sight. Here’s hoping the less intrusive way works.  
“Who knows?”  
Liam’s smile slipped, and a confused frown took its place.

“Who from the Pack knows? About the curse?”  
Instantly, Liam’s confusion morphed into one of insulted indignation. “You should know by now I wouldn’t tell anyone without your permission.”  
He raised his eyebrow, because really? After the conversation they’d just had, Liam was trying that?

“Yeah, okay. I know I messed up with the curse, but that’s different. I’m not going to out you. I only know you spoke to Derek because he said he’d seen you. He refused to tell me anything, though, and I didn’t know how much he knew. So, I didn’t say anything, either.”  
Surprised. It was the only emotion he could find. “You- you really waited? For me?”  
“We’ve been through this, Theo. It’s your decision. I can’t make it for you, and I won’t take it away from you, either.” Another sigh came from Liam. “Not again.”

He didn’t know what to say. Liam never ceased to surprise him. There was no end to Liam’s compassion. It only strengthened his feelings, and left him with the frightening realisation that this was more than just a crush.

He was in love.


	13. Stiles

It was time.

He’d been planning the best way to mess with Theo, since they’d established the debt he was owed. This was going to be perfect. It would be the perfect way to teach Theo a lesson. Maybe next time, Theo will think twice before mocking people. He still hadn’t forgotten about Kiley’s baby doll. Malia was still pissed and rightfully so.

Well, now it was Theo’s turn. It’s Theo’s turn to learn how that feels. He was about to show the Chimera why you don’t mess with a Stilinski or those he cares about.

He can’t wait.


	14. Theo

They didn’t have long.

He and Liam had gone back to the clearing to summon the witch. They needed to know whether this would work and soon. It was the 2nd today, which meant they only had three weeks until the full moon, on the 24th. They needed to be prepared if this failed. If they missed it, he’d have to wait another year. A year of this curse. A year as a servant. A year afraid of what might happen. It would be another year before he could be free. The risks were ingrained in his memory, demanding his attention. Okay, focus. This would never work if he was distracted. It would fail before they’d even started.

His mouth was dry, his heart beating hard in his chest. This could go wrong fast, and it would all be over. He had to remain calm. He needed to make sure the summoning spell went smoothly. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake. He couldn’t afford to forget the Latin, or slip up and miss a line like with Belladonna.

Stepping through the final strip of trees, and into the clearing on the other side, left him feeling nauseatingly vulnerable. They were standing in the open, uncovered and unprotected. The stones, he noticed, had been restored. One slip and...  
Deep breath. Just take a deep breath and...  
The wind suddenly picked up, howling, as it whipped viciously through the Preserve. Leaves fell and floated around them, the Preserve lay deserted by insects and animals alike.

Oh, no. This could only mean one thing.  
Just like that, the witch was there. Standing directly in front of him, a deadly glare locked on him. He stumbled back, shocked and frightened. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. They’d only just arrived. They were supposed to summon _her_.

“I thought I made myself clear. You were not to return.”  
“We- we, just- w-want to talk...” His plea fell short. Those eyes, devoid of compassion or mercy, narrowed. He flinched at her raised hand, eyes widening when he realised he was frozen. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t defend himself.

“The two of you were exiled for crimes against the spirits. I have appeased their souls, allowing them to rest once more. I shall not allow you to cause further unrest.”  
Liam stepped forward cautiously, taking care not to anger her any more than she already was. “Miss. I apologise for our indiscretions. We haven’t come to cause any harm. We simply wish to talk.”

“Foolish boy. You were not merely exiled from our sacred land. You were exiled from this town.”  
Shit. No, no, no. Liam couldn’t be forced out. Liam’s whole life was here. He couldn’t let this happen. Not to Liam. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. It was then he noticed the witch’s closed hand, followed by her vicious voice.  
“I did not grant you permission to speak.”

A growl rose beside him, and he realised with concern that Liam was losing control. The anger was practically pulsating under Liam’s skin. Ready to explode. “Leave him alone. You can’t banish us. We live here. Beacon Hills is our home.”  
“Not anymore. You gave up that right when you accompanied the arrogant chimera. Your kind are not welcome here. This time, I shall cast a protection spell on the town, to prevent you access. You shall be refused entry, and thus unable to return. Now, be gone, foul creatures.”  
With horror, he watched her raise her hand once more. This time with a terrible consequence. One they could not take back. He had to stop her. He just had to.

“Wait! Wait, please! Take me!” He ignored Liam’s screeched ‘what?!’, in favour of keeping an eye on the witch’s hand. It was currently in position to change their lives forever, seconds away from sealing their fates, but she’d stopped. She remained still, if only for a moment. This was his chance. His only chance. “Take me. Let Liam go. He shouldn’t have to pay for my actions. I’m the one who said we should come here. I’m the one who broke the stone. Liam warned me and I didn’t listen. Please. Let him go and take me instead.”

“You are not sacrificing yourself, Theo!”  
“Liam, you have a life here. I don’t. I won’t let you be locked out of your home. I won’t do that to you.”  
“You’re not doing anything. You belong here. You are not giving up your place here because she said you have to.”  
“Shut. Up. Liam.” How is he supposed to keep Liam safe, when the beta won’t stop talking?  
“No. You belong here!”  
“ _Liam_. Would you just-”

He couldn’t breathe. _He couldn’t breathe_. His throat was constricting; the muscles closing in on themselves. It felt like both sides of his throat were being fused together. Eyes widening, his gaze fixed on her hand. The hand that was now clenched, in a death grip, choking him.  
“Theo?”  
He couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. The spell was gone, causing him to collapse. His knees hit the ground, hands grasping at his throat.  
“Theo?!” Blatant concern. Liam’s panic was unmasked and filled the cry that followed.  
His vision blurred. It was becoming harder to keep his eyes open. Harder to listen.  
“Stop!”

Liam’s voice reached him distantly, muffled. It was nearly indistinguishable. Almost impossible to hold onto. His eyes grew heavier, a weight too large to bear.  
“You’re killing him!”  
By now, Liam was beyond hysterical. The plea, desperate and bordering on irrational as it was, went unanswered. It meant nothing to this woman. They meant nothing to her.  
“We came to apologise! Theo wanted to explain! That’s all!”  
It was no use. She wouldn’t stop until she’d killed him. She had no mercy. No concern.  
“Stop! We’ll leave! I swear! _Just let him go!_ ”

Just as his eyes fluttered closed, hands limp on the grass where he lay motionless, a gasp tore through him. It ran up from his chest, through his throat and burst from his mouth. The force pushed him upright, hands clasping the ground for support as he leaned forward, choking on the sudden surge of air.  
It took a moment for his chest to ease and the pressure in his head to subside. Lack of oxygen was a torturous experience, that he wouldn’t wish on anyone. Slowly, his mind begun to clear and as the world around him became whole, he felt hands on his own. Resting, tight, distressed. A voice close, panicked. Blinking, a figure came into view. Crouched in front of him. Eyes alight with fear. _Liam_.

“Do not come back here. You shall be granted peace within the town, on the understanding you do not lay a foot on sacred land.” The witch disappeared, or rather they were cast out of the clearing. Thankfully, it was to the safety of his truck and not passed town borders.

“Theo! Are you okay?!”  
He wasn’t ready to speak. To use the muscles so recently strained and cut off. Instead, he nodded. A chore in and of itself. It was decided without much deliberation, that Liam would drive home. He didn’t even put up a fight. He could barely keep his eyes open, let alone manage a truck.

Liam had risked everything to save him. It didn’t matter what was at stake. Even the threat of being forbidden from entering the town they called home, wasn’t enough to detour Liam. Not if it meant he had to leave. Despite everything, despite how dangerous the witch was, Liam didn’t back down. Liam only became more insistent that he belonged here, and that he deserved to stay. That he had a _right_ to stay.

They were safe. They were _home_ , and it was all because of Liam.


	15. Jenna

The last thing she expected to see when she heard the front door open, was Liam carrying, correction, _dragging_ Theo inside. The boy could barely stand, let alone walk. She let out a startled cry, as she rushed to help Liam lower Theo onto the couch. Once they were sure he wasn’t about to fall, and eyes closing as he fell asleep, Liam offered an explanation.

To say she was furious at not being informed of the curse, was an understatement. She was under the impression she and David had made themselves clear. There were supposed to be no secrets. They were supposed to be kept in the loop. This wasn’t the time, though. She could ground Liam, later. Right now, they had Theo to take care of. Not to mention a vengeful witch lurking in the shadows.

Knowing the Pack were not aware, either, only further frustrated her. She understood why Theo would be reluctant to share certain aspects of his life, and that being cursed wasn’t fun, but the secrecy had to stop. They would never get anywhere if they didn’t start asking for help.

Despite Liam’s protests, that it was Theo’s choice, she wouldn’t give in. Not when they were all in danger. There was no telling what this witch would do next. Nor was she going to leave Theo like this. This ends here.

They were calling Scott.  
Now.


	16. Liam

Theo was far from impressed. Waking up after that ordeal, to learn that nearly the entire Pack had been informed of the current situation, would be overwhelming for anyone. He had to field questions from a pissed off chimera, and insinuations that he lied. That he broke his promise. He understood where Theo was coming from, but it wasn’t fair to blame him. He had sworn to let Theo decide who and when the Pack were told. He had kept that promise, but his mum had not.

The only thing that saved him from Theo’s wrath, was that he managed to convince her not to tell Stiles or Malia. It took a while, but she eventually agreed.  
Which was why Scott and the Pack, minus two, were meeting with Deaton to discuss the plan. They had to be sure they were ready. It was clear they had no choice, but to take the witch’s powers. She not only refused to free Theo from the curse, but also posed an immense risk to the people of Beacon Hills. They needed to have everything prepared and in place for the full moon. There was no room for error.

Theo needed a break. It was one problem after another, and Theo needed something good. Theo _deserved_ something good.  
“Come with me.”  
Theo didn’t move. Nor did he receive a response of any kind.  
“Theo, there’s something I want you to see.”  
When nothing happened, he sighed. Grabbing Theo’s hand, he dragged Theo upstairs. He took a little bit of pleasure in the audible surprise he heard, as Theo gasped and stumbled forward. It wasn’t long before they fell into an even pace. When he reached his room, Theo sat on the bed whilst he rummaged through his closet.

“How can you find anything in that mess?”  
Okay. Maybe Theo was right. It could probably be cleaner, but that didn’t mean he needed to be judged.  
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I deal with enough from Mum about cleaning it. I don’t need a lecture from you, too.”  
The sight of that small smirk, eased some of the tension he carried with him. At least Theo felt a little better.  
“Clearly you do, or you’d have at least made an attempt to dig through what looks like a dumpster.”  
“Ha, ha. Very funny. Anyway, this is for you.”

That made Theo stop. The jokes ended abruptly, as he watched Theo stare between him and the wrapped object he’d placed beside the bed. He waited as countless emotions crossed those green eyes, too fast to identify.

“You- you bought me a present?”  
“It was supposed to be for your birthday, but I thought you could use it now.” He was met with a look of confusion and surprise. “Well? Are you going to open it or not?”

That seemed to finally shake Theo out of the daze he’d been witnessing, since he’d first placed the gift down. Slowly, tentative fingers tore through the wrapping paper, pulling it aside to reveal a white cardboard box. As the paper was torn away further, revealing the image on front, Theo’s eyes widened. Those green eyes flicked up to meet his own, shock and awe evident in the open expression he saw. Theo let his eyes drop back to the box for a moment, before swallowing and shifting slightly.

When Theo finally spoke, it was choked and soft. “It was you.”  
“I don’t know why you never went in yourself, considering you looked at it every time we’d go to the mall. I figured you must have a reason, but I also knew how much you wanted it.”

It was silent, while Theo finished processing. He found himself focusing closely on Theo’s physical reactions. The thick swallows, the glazed eyes earlier, the increase in heart rate, the change in chemosignals. He might not be 100% confident in his abilities to detect every scent, and the accuracy of his identifications, but he knows the difference between joy and sadness. It was a very distinct difference, and one he couldn’t miss. It was the same joy he sensed now.

“Thank you.” Theo whispered, their eyes meeting once more. He loved the shy smile curving Theo’s lips. It was rare to see this side of Theo. To see such open, undisguised happiness.

“You’re welcome.” He wanted to leave it there. He really did, but there was still an unspoken fact that needed to be addressed. “You know mum’s not going to let you go home by yourself, right?”  
“I’ll be fine, Liam.”

“That’s just it. You won’t.” He couldn’t help the worry he felt at the way Theo’s eyes snapped open. Having only closed them seconds before, it was instant. He couldn’t pretend he didn’t see the fear in them, either. “I’ve seen how you inflict pain on yourself. The way you press your claws into your skin. It’s not healthy, Theo. I know it’s your way of coping, but you can’t keep going this way.”

If he was worried at the flash of fear, the sudden relief made it that much worse. If it wasn’t the self-inflicted injuries that Theo was scared of, then what didn’t Theo want him to know?

“It’s not that big a deal. We both know I’ll heal.”  
“That’s not the point. You’re clearly struggling, and I want to help. You have to let me in, though. I know you’re trying, but don’t shut me out. Please.”  
“Okay.”  
It was once again a mere whisper. A promise.  
“Besides, you know as well as I do Mum won’t let you out of this house on your own.”  
Theo laughed openly for the first time in a while, and it was a beautiful sight.

“Do you want to go home? I can stay with you. Until we fix this.” The sudden flash of panic was alarming. “Or, you can stay here.” Relief. The rate at which Theo’s emotions were changing, and the stark difference between each one, was frightening. It always came back to going to Theo’s. For some reason, Theo didn’t want him to see his house. It must have something to do with the constant self-harm he’d witnessed. It had to be connected to the mood-swings.  
He needed to know why.

At least Theo had agreed to staying with them.


	17. Theo

Stiles was here. Standing in the driveway. Liam had answered the door, too amused to realise who it was, laughter dying as soon as it became clear. The menacing grin didn’t help.  
“What do you want, Stiles?” Liam wasn’t in the mood to deal with whatever this was about. He understood the sentiment, all to well.  
“I’m here for Theo.”  
What now? “Go home, Stiles.”  
“Relax, I’m just here to collect my debt.”  
Shit. _Shit_. He’d completely forgotten about that. After weeks of agonising over it, he’d finally managed to forget, and now it was here. Stiles was calling it in.  
“There is no debt. Theo doesn’t owe you anything.” Liam was still determined to protect him, to shield him from who knows what Stiles had planned. Sadly, it would never work. Stiles enjoyed punishing him too much.

“Oh, but there is. You heard Theo admit as much himself.”  
He couldn’t deny it, either. He had. Not that Stiles needed his agreement to take what he supposedly owed. No one could convince Stiles otherwise.  
“Now, where are we doing this?”  
“What are my choices?” His suspicion laced his voice. He hadn’t expected any say in the matter.  
“Well, Theo. We can stay here with Liam, or we can go someone private. Just the two of us.”

That was a bigger mercy than he’d have thought Stiles capable of. He thought Stiles would want as big an audience as possible. Being alone with the human was far from comforting, but it was better than embarrassing himself in front of Liam.  
He took a step forward and was met with a look of disbelief. Liam started to protest, but he didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t know if he’d be able to leave, if he heard the reasons why it was a stupid idea. Besides, it’s not like he didn’t already know.

“I’ll be back soon.” He left before Liam could stop him. Before Liam could offer any irrefutable reasons to stay. Before Liam could insist on coming with them.  
Every nerve in his body was screaming at him to run, to be anywhere else but here, as he climbed into the Jeep. He never would have thought this would be how it happened. Every nerve was on edge as Stiles drove in silence, putting an increasing amount of distance between them and Liam. The further they went, the more concerned he became. He was beginning to question his sanity.  
He’d made a terrible mistake. Why did he _ever_ think this was a good idea? Who knew what Stiles had planned? He had never wanted to see Liam more than he did right now.

Just as he was preparing to _jump out of the moving car_ , the Jeep stalled. He glanced up to see they were near the town border. In fact, they were only feet away from it. Oh. He finally understood. Stiles was kicking him out. He was being banished, after all. Why was he so surprised? It’s not like anyone truely wanted him here. Not to mention the trouble he’d caused lately, what with the different curses. They were probably tired of having to help him.

“Fine. I’m going. I just need my truck.”  
“What? Oh. No. I _wish_ I could make you leave, but Scott wouldn’t appreciate it. Not to mention Liam would have my head.”  
They didn’t care that much. Liam, maybe, given their friendship, but not Scott. “Then, why-”  
“It’s secluded. We won’t be interrupted by any protective betas.”

Okay. No point in drawing this out any longer than necessary. The sooner they get this over with, the sooner he can move on.  
“What do you want?”  
He hated the grin Stiles displayed. The pure enjoyment. Stiles looked like the cat that got the canary.  
“I’m so glad you asked, Theo. I’m going to ask you a few questions and you’re going to answer. Oh, and to make sure you’re telling the truth...” Stiles’ grin turned downright malicious. “Malia will be here.”

Just then, there was movement to their left, and the coyote stepped out into the open. He was losing his mind. This wasn’t the first time he missed something so simple. He should have sensed her immediately, but he was too focused on maintaining his heart rate. He was too busy keeping up the facade to notice his surroundings.

He should have known Stiles would do something like this. Stiles lies to him, and yet he’s accused of being dishonest.

“You said it would be just the two of us.”  
“You didn’t really believe that, did you? That I’d give you a choice? Why would I make it easy on you? I just didn’t want Liam to interfere, and making you think it was your decision, was the easiest way to make it happen.”

He’d been played. Stiles had played him. This was pathetic. Something had felt wrong the moment Stiles asked for his opinion, but he’d ignored it. His body had tried to warn him, but he didn’t listen. The prospect of Liam seeing, of being embarrassed in front of the beta, was too much. He’d have done anything to avoid that, and now here they were. With Malia.  
“Just ask already.” He suddenly wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. Even if it meant being plagued by nightmares.  
“If you try to lie-”  
“Enough with the threats. Get on with it.” He didn’t care if Stiles was angry. He didn’t care if he received a glare. Although maybe he should, considering there was no telling what Stiles would ask.

  
“Right. So, here’s your first question.”  
Swallowing, he braved for the inevitable. Whatever Stiles said next, wouldn’t be pleasant. Here goes nothing.  
“Do you write in a diary?”  
Seriously? If this was any indication of the coming interrogation, he wasn’t worried. “No, Stiles. I don’t.”  
Malia nodded reluctantly. This wasn’t starting like they’d hoped.  
“Fine. Next question. Do you still sleep with a comfort item?”

He had his blanket and pillow. They were the only pieces of his childhood he had left. He couldn’t imagine not having them. In fact, he’d managed to sneak them into Liam’s when he’d been staying there. The benefit of Liam respecting his privacy, and reassuring him that the guest room was his while he was there, meant they remained unseen beneath the borrowed blankets.

It meant Liam had yet to see them, although there was a close call once. The night Liam saw the brand, after his nightmare. His tattered blanket and pillow lay half uncovered on the floor, but thankfully Liam was too focused on his chest to notice. It gave him the chance to hide them, before they were found.  
Was it a comfort item, though?

“Earth to Theo.”  
He blinked, drawn back to reality. He’d been lost in thought for a while judging by the annoyed expressions he saw. Stiles was waiting for an answer and Malia... well, Malia just looked like she wanted to kill him. So, nothing new there.

“This isn’t time for a nap. Now, I’ll ask again. Do you sleep with a comfort item?”  
Damn it. “Yes.” It was uttered through clenched teeth, a part of him desperately hoping they wouldn’t hear. Of course, he had no such luck. He cringed at Malia’s wide grin. It was practically predatory. Stiles’ grin was just as intimidating.  
“What is it?”  
“A blanket.” Deep breath. Ignore the laughter. Ignore Stiles. Ignore Malia. You can’t kill him. You can’t. A little scare would be nice, but the Pack wouldn’t see it that way. Nor could he be sure he’d stop there.

“Aw. Do you need your blankie?” Stiles cooed.  
“Get on with it, would you?”  
“Why? Are you embarrassed?” Stiles was enjoying this way too much.  
“Just move on.”  
“Oh, no. That’s my next question. Are you embarrassed?”  
Why did he _ever_ agree to this? “Yes.”  
That damn laughter. He’d be hearing it all night. So much for sleeping.

“This is what you get for making fun of Malia.”  
They were still on about that? Really? “Come on, Stiles. That was months ago. I told you I didn’t realise it was Kiley’s.”  
He took a step back when Malia growled, hands raised in surrender. He wasn’t ready to test her restraint, and he didn’t particularly want to be mauled, either. Too afraid to anger her further, he simply nodded in response to her snapped ‘don’t say her name’.  
“Okay. Okay.” Stiles tried to steer the conversation back on track. “Do you have a secret fear?”

Of course he did. More than one, and none of which he was willing to share. Especially not with these two. He’d never live it down. He was done. He was done being their plaything. Without answering he turned around, and started walking. Stiles’ confused voice sounded behind him.  
“Where are you going?”  
“Home.”  
“You can’t just go!”  
“Watch me.”  
“You haven’t answered the question!”  
No response. He was done. He didn’t have to put up with this.

“Now, just wait one minute. Come back here!”  
Shit. No, no, no. There was nothing he could do. He was standing in front of Malia and Stiles before he could blink. A fact that left the human shocked and the coyote wary.  
“Wait. You actually stopped?”  
Don’t talk. Don’t say anything. Just hold off. One minute. Just one minute and he could go. He’d run and...  
“Why did you stop?”  
Twenty seconds.  
“Theo.”  
Stiles was growing increasingly more annoyed. Malia’s growl did not go unnoticed. Ten seconds.  
“I won’t be ignored, Theo.”  
Five seconds. Almost there...  
“Answer me!”

His heart stopped. He had been _so_ close. All he needed was five seconds. He wasn’t asking for much. All he wanted was a break.  
“You told me to.”  
“What?”  
He was free of the earlier command, but before he could take more than one step, he found himself staring at the sky. The air was knocked out of his lungs, as his back slammed into the hard ground. Malia stood above him, kneeling down and pining his limbs in place.  
“Tell us the truth.” He flinched at her growl. “Why do you care that Stiles told you to stop?”  
It’s official. The universe hates him. There’s no other explanation. There’s no other reason he would be in this situation, forced to reveal _this_ of all things. It just wasn’t fair.  
“I’m under an obedience curse.”

Silence.  
Absolute silence greeted him, as he remained trapped beneath the coyote. He swallowed as he watched her grin widen. Nothing good could come of that grin. He couldn’t see Stiles, but he was sure he’d see another smile, mirroring that of Malia.  
“W-wait. Please. Please, don’t.” He shifted ever so slightly, using what little movement he had, under the weight on his arms and legs.  
“Don’t talk.”  
Just like that, his mouth may as well have been wired shut. It refused to cooperate.  
“Don’t move.” Malia’s voice reached his ears, whispered and amused.

He laid there, unable to do anything as she stood, smirking. He closed his eyes, in a futile attempt to calm his racing heart. There was no doubt that Malia could hear every beat. He had lost control. He had no control over his body left. He could feel Malia circling him, like a predator circling their pray.

“This is going to be fun.”


	18. Theo

“What to make you do?”  
No. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. There has to be a way out of this. Don’t give in. Don’t give up. There had to be _something_ he could do. The look in Malia’s eyes terrified him, more than he cared to admit.  
“I think...”  
Just let it end. Put him out of his misery.  
“Malia? Can we talk?”  
Was that- was that Stiles? Why was... why was Stiles interrupting her? Of course. To prolong his suffering. To have him wait. To think about what they might do. Possibly even to collaborate and come up with the best ways to make his life miserable. More so than usual.

Malia wasn’t happy about being called away, but she went regardless. They were standing further away, and all he could hear was the rush of blood. His pounding heart that was on the verge of giving out. Faintly, he thought he heard the sound of a car door opening and closing.

Were they leaving? Were they going to drive away without him? Maybe their plan was to leave him here, trapped in the middle of the road, until a car came. He’d be helpless. Defenceless. It was a terrifying thought. That they’d leave him to be killed...  
“Stand up. You can talk.”  
“S-St-Stiles? What- what do you...?” Malia was in the car. Stiles was here. Stiles wanted to be the one to control him.  
“I-”  
“No. No, please. Don’t do this.”  
“Theo, lis-”  
“I can’t- I don’t- please. _Please._ Just let me go.”  
“Look-”  
“I’m begging you. Let- let me go. I-”

“Shut up!”  
And he was back to being quiet. Silently awaiting his fate. Please, let Stiles go easy on him.  
“Do you even know how to let someone else speak?  
Why couldn’t they just do it already? The waiting was killing him.  
“I’m not going to take advantage of the curse.”  
Stiles- wait, what?  
“I’m not going to exploit your vulnerability.”  
Something wasn’t right. This didn’t make any sense. Why would Stiles suddenly care about using this against him? It wasn’t a problem when he was de-aged or a woman. So, why now? His scepticism must have shown, because Stiles went on to explain.  
“I know what it’s like to be controlled. To have no say in your actions. The Nogitsune took over my body and forced me to do some horrible things. I still haven’t forgotten about my involvement in Allison and Aiden’s death. I caused them to be killed.”

His gaze softened, the reality of the situation sinking in. This was familiar, understandable. Stiles knew how it felt. Stiles knew what it was like first hand. That wasn’t the end of Stiles’ explanation, though.

“I know, Theo. I know what it’s like, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I won’t be responsible for forcing you to go through what I did.”  
Swallowing, he tries to process the unexpected reaction. Never in a million years, would he have thought Stiles would say that. Never would he have thought Stiles would be reluctant to cause him more distress. That Stiles wouldn’t want him to experience that. Maybe he should have. Given what he knew about Stiles and the Nogitsune. But, he hadn’t. He thought Stiles would jump at the opportunity to watch him squirm.

He had never been happier to be wrong in his life.

“Well? Aren’t you going to say something?”  
All he could do was stare, hoping it wouldn’t take too long for Stiles to click on. He waited, and waited and waited... until _finally_ he saw the realisation. It was like a light going off. One minute there was nothing, and the next Stiles was stuttering and stumbling over his words.  
“Oh. Oh! Right. Of- of course. I didn’t- I should- right. You can’t...”  
Sometime today would be nice.  
Stiles seemed to come to the same conclusion, judging by the fact the jumbled rush of words came to an abrupt halt. Taking a deep breath, Stiles tried again.

“Speak, Theo.”  
It felt so good to be able to use his throat. The inability to respond was driving him insane. “I’m not a dog, Stiles.”  
“You’re- what? Oh. Oh, right. Sorry.”  
“You’re going to have to let me move, Stiles.”  
He watched as Stiles’ eyebrows raised with yet another sudden realisation... and cue the stuttering apology.

“I- I’m sorry. You can-”  
He was this close to being released for the time being. He could practically feel it, so _why_ had Stiles stopped?  
“Anytime now, Stiles.”  
“You won’t run, will you?”  
Oh, for the...  
“No. I won’t. Now, will you _please_ let me go?”  
He watched the nod of agreement, and waited patiently (or as patiently as he could manage), to hear the words.  
“Theo, you can move.”

It was like a weight lifting. He was free.  
For now, at least.  
“Thank you.” It was such a relief, his voice sounded breathy and soft. He couldn’t bring himself to care, though. Stiles started to reply, but his attention was elsewhere. “Wait. Where’s Malia?” He spun around, scanning the road and trees for any sign of her.  
Confused, Stiles turned around to look at the Jeep. “She’s in the- oh.”  
She had to be here somewhere. It was the middle of the day, no clouds in sight. There was nothing but light. He should be able to see...

That thought was abruptly cut off, when something - or rather, someone - tackled him from behind. For the second that day, he hit the ground. It really was secluded out here, seeing as he’d yet to see a single car. Not a single person who might be able to help.  
“Malia!”  
Stiles was screaming from behind. He couldn’t see anything, though. Other than the gravel road, that his head was currently being pressed into. Painfully hard, he might add. He tried to speak, but it only resulted in a hand pushing harder against his head.  
“Malia, let go!”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you, Stiles, but I’m not letting Theo off the hook. I won’t let him get away with what he said. You can leave if you want, but I’m going to make Theo pay.”  
“Ma-” Again, he was cut off by the hand on his head. The claws cutting into his skin, both below his hair and on his back. If there was one thing you didn’t want to do, it was to piss off Malia. Anything he said now, would only make the situation worse.  
“No one should have to-”  
“I don’t care, Stiles! Theo is going to regret ever messing with me.”

The sound of tires screeching to a stop reached them. Somewhere along the road, he heard a door slam and running footsteps. A furious growl tore through the quiet afternoon, gravel shifting underfoot. A shadow fell over him, feet appeared in his limited line of sight. Voices rose, shouting and carrying clear warnings, on either side. Malia growled. Stiles was _still_ shouting.

New hands landed on his back, pulling at the original pair. The pair determined to keep him there. The newcomers appeared to want to free him. To protect him. Soon, he felt claws on his arms and the weight on his back shifted, as he was flipped. He sucked in a breath, as he was now facing an enraged Malia.

Scott and Liam were there. They were still trying to pry her off him. Stiles was off to the side, screaming at Malia to stop. After what felt like an eternity, they finally succeeded in dragging her back. The moment he was free, he scrambled backwards desperate to get away.

Scott forced Malia into his car, regardless of her continuous snarling. He had yet to move from the ground, too unsure of his ability to stand right now. He was shaking and didn’t trust his legs to support his weight. Almost subconsciously, he reached out for the hand Stiles offered, but startled at the sudden growl.  
He looked up in time to see Liam approaching - or rather, lunging - at Stiles. The frightened squawk set him into motion. Pushing himself to his feet, he threw himself between Liam and Stiles.

“Liam! Liam, wait!”  
Stiles cowered behind him, using him as a shield. He was probably the only barrier capable of holding Liam back, right now.  
“Liam, listen to me! Stiles was trying to help!”  
That got through. He let out a breath when Liam stepped back, providing a little more space between the three of them. The tension finally begun to ease, as Stiles peered cautiously around him. Liam eyes them both sceptically. There was an overwhelming doubt lingering in those blue eyes. Doubt that Stiles wasn’t involved, given how he got here.

He’d have to explain more later, but right now, this was all too much. He really needed to lie down and sleep. It was time to go. After reassuring both Scott and Liam that he was fine, they came to an agreement. Scott would drive Malia home and then continue preparing for the ritual, whilst he and Liam got a lift from Stiles.

Only two weeks to go, and he’d be free.


	19. Stiles

It was a tense ride back. What with no one wanting to talk and all. He wasn’t known for his silence, and he had tried on multiple occasions to strike up a conversation. Unsuccessfully. Neither Liam nor Theo would give an inch, and every word he said was met with either stony silence or a murderous growl. The latter of which was not Theo.  
In the end, he decided it would be better to suffer in silence, than risk setting off Liam’s IED. Crashing into one of the many trees lining the road, was not an appealing alternative.

It didn’t get much better when he pulled into Liam’s driveway. He had been prepared to drive home, having already let the others out, when Theo opened his door. Had he missed something? Had Theo changed his mind? It was Theo who protected him from a furious Liam earlier, but had Theo changed his mind? Had the drive been long enough to seal his fate?

Instead of dragging him from the car however, Theo merely stood there waiting. One glance at Liam, proved the beta was just as confused as he was.

“Are you coming in or not?”  
That had his eyebrows rising, followed by an aggrieved ‘excuse me?!’ from Liam. How was he supposed to answer? Was it a trick? Liam clearly didn’t want him to come in, but did Theo? Was Theo seriously inviting him in after what he did, or was it a trick to get him back?  
“I should go...”

He was cut off by someone snorting. Did- was Theo laughing at him?  
“I’m not going to hurt you, Stiles.”  
Ignoring the muttered ‘I might’ from Liam, he switched the Jeep off and took his keys from the ignition. Closing the door, he swallowed nervously. This could go either way, and he still wasn’t 100% sure Theo wasn’t planning on killing him tonight.

This had to be the most awkward situation he’d found himself in yet, and there had been a lot. When you were as curious, sarcastic and prone to movement as he was, you came to expect uncomfortable moments. It came with the territory. For the most part, he was use to it. It didn’t really bother him anymore. He’d simply throw in another sarcastic comment or joke. Usually however, it didn’t involve the Pack. That was usually a safe zone.  
He supposed he’d brought it on himself, though.

Liam had yet to take his eyes off him, since they’d arrived. Sitting on the couch, unsure as to the intentions of his fellow pack mates, (yes, he could admit that Theo was Pack, like it or not), he couldn’t shake his nerves.  
“I think it’s time for me to leave-”  
“It’s fine, Stiles.” Theo called from the kitchen, sounding somewhat amused. “Liam’s bark is worse than his bite.”

He might have been more afraid of Liam, given that comment made the scowl deepen, had Theo not walked in and placed a hand on Liam’s shoulder. It seemed to calm the beta. A much appreciated sentiment at the moment.  
“Theo, Stiles is the reason you were out there in the first place. He took you out there with the sole intention of embarrassing you.”  
Okay, looks like it’s out in the open. Here comes his inevitable demise.  
“He’s also the one who refused to use the curse against me. Stiles refused to let Malia do the same. Sure, she came back, but he told her to stop.”  
“Scott and I had to pull her off you!”  
“You do remember Stiles is human, right? There wasn’t a lot he could do. In saying that, he took my side. He tried to call her back. He _tried_.”

He really hadn’t expected Theo to defend him like this. Not after everything he’d done.  
“Malia shouldn’t have been there! Stiles said it was going to be the two of you! She was never mentioned when you agreed to go out there!” Liam wouldn’t budge.

“I know, Liam. I know. I wasn’t impressed about that either, but the point is, Stiles took my side. He took my side over Malia’s.”  
Silence fell over the room, as Liam tried to calm down and Theo continued to run soothing circles on the skin of Liam’s hand. Well, that’s new. He knew Theo and Liam were close, but he hadn’t realised just _how_ close they’d become.

“You don’t have to like Stiles, right now. We both know Stiles and I don’t exactly get along.” (Understatement much?) “All I’m asking, is that you don’t kill him.”

After an agonising moment, Liam finally seemed to come to a decision. He flinched when Liam stood up, but nothing happened. An embarrassing squeak erupted from his lips, when Liam spoke. The words were so unexpected, that he just stared as he tried to process them. He tried to process the fact that Liam had thanked him. _Thanked him_. For helping Theo.  
Those five short words left him completely speechless.

He waited as Liam left the room, Theo smirking at him.  
“I think I like this look on you. You’re less annoying when you’re quiet.”  
“Really, Theo? Is that the best you’ve got?” It felt nice somehow. Joking with Theo. Having someone to bounce sarcastic comments off. The rest of the Pack had never been much for sarcasm, other than Jackson, of course. And we all know that would never work.

“Look, Stiles...”  
Should he be scared? Theo’s closed eyes and clenched fists would suggest otherwise.  
“I need to thank you. For before.”  
“You already-”  
“I need to say it again. You have no idea how much that meant. What it meant that you didn’t force me to-” Theo stopped to take a deep breath, too worked up to continue. “I hate it. I hate being controlled. Having no say, no power... it’s terrifying. I spent years under the Dread Doctors’ control. Following every word, every command under threat of death...” Another deep breath. “I didn’t want to do it. I never did. The promise of being safe, of being healed is what lured me in. When I agreed to go with them, they promised me a Pack. They promised me power. That was something I never felt I had. Not when I was always so sick.”

Shit. He’d never thought...  
“Once I was with them, it was too late. Once I realised the full extent of what they had planned... there was no turning back. There was no way out. They were never going to let me go. Not alive, anyway. Disobeying a single order, would have been like signing my own death warrant.”

“I’m sorry, Theo.” It didn’t feel like enough, but what else could he say?  
“I know what it’s like. I’ve been through it before... I can’t do it again. I can’t... Knowing what’s possible doesn’t make it any easier. I know how bad it can get. I know how fast everything can go wrong. Only this time, it’s not hurting people that I have to worry about. Not that that’s not a possibility should someone find out. No. Now I have to worry about being embarrassed. Sometimes I really hate having emotions.”

He snorted at that. He couldn’t help himself. Although, he wished he hadn’t when he saw the hurt look flash across Theo’s face.  
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to... It’s just... join the club.” That got a laugh. “I should probably apologise. You know, for giving you such a hard time.”

“It’s fine-”  
“No, it’s not, Theo. I never forgave you for what happened. For what you did to the Pack. To my dad.”  
He watched as Theo looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. It was clear then, that Theo hadn’t forgiven himself, either.  
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget the mistakes you made, but they’re just that. Mistakes. I never thought about what you went through with them. I mean, technically, they kidnapped you.”

Theo laughed again, this time offering him a small smile. “I suppose they did.”  
“I’m sorry, Theo. For everything I’ve said to you. For all the times I’ve called you evil or a liar. For the times I said you haven’t changed. I was wrong. I mean, just look at the fact we’re sitting here, talking. Who’d have thought either of us would be here?” It was becoming easier to make Theo laugh, and it felt like an accomplishment. Like it didn’t happen often, and honestly, it probably didn’t.

“I’m sorry for agreeing with Malia tying you up, and for not listening to you. For not believing you. I’m sorry for making fun of you and your curses. For assuming that everything you did was a plot against us. I’m sorry I didn’t respect that you have secrets, too. I acted like you owe us an explanation for everything, and you don’t.”  
“Stiles-”  
“I’m sorry for saying you owe me. That was... well, that was stupid.”

“Stiles, I-”  
“I did what I should have. Yes, there were some rather... _unpleasant_ parts of the research process, but that wasn’t your fault.”  
“Stiles, you don’t-”  
“I’m sorry I told Malia about the previous curse, and that she knows about this one. I’m sorry for trying to embarrass you in front of her. I never should have asked you those questions. I-”  
“Stiles!”

The sudden scream made him jump. He always did have a tendency to ramble.  
“I appreciate the thought, but you really don’t have to apologise.”  
“Yes, I do. I was wrong and I’m-”  
“If you say you’re sorry one more time, I’m going to stitch your mouth shut.”  
Okay, maybe he’d said enough. Clearly, he was starting to get on Theo’s nerves, more than appease anyone. That’s the problem when you have a tendency to rant and voice every thought that crosses your mind.  
“Thank you. For... for all of that. I swear I didn’t know that was Kiley’s doll. I never would have-”  
“I know. I’ll try to tell Malia, but no promises.”  
“Oh, trust me. I’m not holding out hope.”

“One more thing. I never thanked you for shielding me from Liam. I... thank you.” The shy smile from Theo was worth it. This was definitely a different Theo than he was used to. “Okay. I really do need to go. Dad’ll be home soon, and if I don’t get there first, he’ll take it as permission to eat the fries and burger I know he has.”

Yet another laugh. He could get used to someone appreciating his humour. He’d spent so long being a pioneer in his field, his unique brand of humour ahead of his time. It was nice to have someone recognise his brilliance.  
“I’m serious, Theo. Dad will take any opportunity he gets to buy take out, and I for one, am not about to stand by and watch.”  
“Oh, I believe you.”

As they made their way to the front door, he couldn’t help but sense a change between them. The balance had shifted, and there was no turning back.  
“Stiles...”  
Hand on the door, he turned around and was met by an insecure Theo. Not what he’d expected.   
“Can you... can we keep what I said back there between us? I don’t want anyone to know...”  
“I won’t say anything, but I can’t promise the same about Malia.” When Theo seemed to deflate at that, he rushed to add, “I’ll try, though.”

He left a partly satisfied Theo inside, as he switched the Jeep on and pulled out. How could he possibly convince Malia to keep quiet?

He’d need a miracle.


	20. Theo

Ten days.  
Just ten days, and he would be himself again. It was so close, he could practically taste it. The Pack were finalising the preparations, but there wasn’t much they could do until the day itself. He’d spent most of the time with either Liam or Stiles. It felt good to get out of the house, and be around other people. It was nice being able to spend time with Stiles, without the fear of being ridiculed or attacked.

That is, with the exception of Sheriff Stilinski who, suffice to say, was not pleased to see him. Given their history and all. They avoided Stiles’ house at first, but he knew they were being watched. He could practically feel the deputies’ eyes on him. They never tried to hide, either, making themselves known. Making sure he knew they were there.  
It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to stop because someone didn’t like him. He’d never get anywhere if he listened to what everyone thought of him. It just meant he was careful of what he said when under surveillance. Whilst he trusted Stiles, he didn’t trust the deputies. Nor did they have a right to know anything about him.

Despite all that, he wouldn’t give up the growing friendship he had with Stiles for anything. He definitely didn’t want to risk going back to how things were.

Better yet, he’d managed to gain control of his feelings for Liam. He no longer felt like he would be exposed at any moment. It meant he could hold onto the friendship he desperately craved. Yes, he wanted more, but he wasn’t foolish enough to think he could have that. He was lucky to be where he was now, and he wouldn’t risk that.

Stiles had also, by some miracle, upheld their agreement. No one else knew about his blanket, which was all he could think about those first few days. If Stiles had decided to tell the Pack, if Malia did... there would have been no way to avoid the onslaught of questions. The hardest part would have been trying to explain to Liam why, in all the times he’d stayed at their house, no one had seen it. Not to mention Liam would become intent on finding it.

Somehow though, Stiles had convinced Malia to stay silent. Much to her displeasure, he imagined. Especially with her fight with Scott. While he hadn’t been there, they’d heard some of what had transpired from Scott. He didn’t go into detail, but it was clear that Malia wasn’t happy about Scott siding with him and Liam. The argument had apparently occurred the same night she’d held him hostage at the town border.

The drive home was tense, according to Scott, and it only got worse, when he reached Malia’s house. She had started screaming about how no one was taking this seriously. About the fact they were siding with him. He had to admit, it was more than a little surprising for him, as well. It was unfortunate to know he was indirectly causing problems in their relationship, though.

He had a feeling he hadn’t heard the last from Malia. Not when she was sure to blame him for the fight.

On the bright side, it was finally peaceful between Liam and Stiles. Since Liam had _finally_ forgiven Stiles for taking him out to the town border that day, he was able to spend today with both of his friends. It still sounded strange to say, but he liked that he could. He’d offered to give Liam a ride after class, but Liam said he’d meet them at Stiles’.  
It felt natural being here. Laying casually on Stiles’ bed. It was quickly beginning to feel like a second home.  
It felt safe.  
 _He_ felt safe.

“You’re losing!”  
“I am not, Stiles. It’s called strategy.”  
“If that strategy is to lose, then you’re on to something.”  
“Just you wait. We’ll see who wins in- no!”  
“What was that you were saying, Theo?”  
The smirk Stiles gave him was infuriating because it should have been him. It was supposed to be him. Game or not, he should have won.  
“You cheated.”  
Stiles had the nerve to scoff, as if this wasn’t an affront to his pride.  
“I did not. You’re just a sore loser.”  
“I want a rematch.”  
If Stiles didn’t stop laughing, they were going to have a problem. “Why? So I can beat you again? No, thanks.”

He put the remote down, but that didn’t mean this was over.  
“I hope you know I won’t forget this.”  
“I didn’t cheat, Theo. I’m just better at ‘Venomous’ than you are.”  
“There is _no way_ you’re better.”  
“Let it go. No amount of complaining is going to change the outcome.”  
He refused to believe he didn’t know how to play a simple video game. If he can master science, then he can win ‘Venomous’. He just needed to play again.  
“So, how’s Liam?”  
“Fine. He should be here soon.”  
“That’s not what I meant.”  
Stiles was looking at him as if he knew something he didn’t. It was unsettling, to say the least.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
“Really, Theo?”  
He didn’t appreciate the suggestion he was lying. He had been as truthful as he could, lately. There was no reason to lie now. As far as he knew Liam was fine, and there was certainly nothing that he couldn’t say. Liam didn’t have any secrets.

“If there’s something you’d like to tell me, Stiles, just say it.”  
“You and Liam?”  
“What about us?” The cryptic answers were seriously starting to irritate him.  
“Your crush, of course.”  
He froze. He’d been in the middle of standing up when Stiles spoke, and now he couldn’t move. He definitely couldn’t turn around. Not when he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks.  
“I don’t-”  
“Don’t bother denying it, Theo. You and I both know you like Liam.”  
“You’ve lost your mind.”  
“If that’s the case, then why don’t you turn and face me?”

Breathe. Just breathe. You can do this.  
“That’s not-”  
“You can’t, can you?”  
“I-”  
“If you do, you won’t be able to hide the fact you’re blushing.”  
He really hated the smug tone of voice Stiles had. The inherent sense of victory. It turns out he wasn’t as good at hiding his feelings, as he’d initially thought. He couldn’t deny it, though, when the heat refused to fade. It only grew, spreading down his neck and to the tips of his ears, with every word Stiles said.  
“Nothing to say? I guess I’ll just have to ask Liam, then.”

That got his attention. He turned around so fast, he heard something snap. Not that he cared. It’s not like it wouldn’t heal. Right now, all he could think about was Stiles and that last comment. There was a mischievous shine within Stiles’ eyes. One that told him it wasn’t a joke; Stiles meant every word.

“Don’t you dare.”  
That insistent laughter was going to drive him over the edge. It was grating in a way that dug beneath his skin and refused to come out.  
“Aw, what’s wrong, Theo? Don’t want Liam to know we’re talking about him?”  
“You are _not_ saying _anything_ to Liam.”  
The light in Stiles’ eyes was back, (then again it never really left), and it was as bright as ever. In fact, it looked renewed and heightened.  
 _Shit_.  
Stiles saw it as a challenge. In which case, this would never end. Not until Stiles had won, thereby proving that he couldn’t be defeated. Before he knew what was happening, a phone surfaced and the sound of someone dialling followed. He could hear a voice on the other end of the phone; answering, questioning.  
“Hey, Liam.” The smug grin Stiles had was too much.

He moved without thinking, throwing himself forward and tackling Stiles. They collapsed in a heap on the floor, the phone falling to the side. As Stiles reached for it, he leant down, pinning both Stiles’ arms and legs. A faint sound could be heard. A soft calling. Liam. The phone. As fast as he could, he pressed to end the call and let out a sigh of relief.

“So...”  
He looked down at Stiles, who _still_ had that insufferable grin.  
“Don’t even think about it.”  
“How is this supposed to prove that you’re _not_ in love with Liam?”  
“I _will_ break your phone, Stiles.”  
“Okay, okay. No need to resort to violence. I surrender.”

With great reluctance, he stood back allowing Stiles to follow. He dropped down onto the bed, face buried in the blankets. This was just like his life. Just as he thinks everything’s settling down, there’s another obstacle to jump. The bed dipped, and he felt someone sitting beside him.  
“I take it that response is a yes?”  
Stiles was goading him. Relentlessly. One comment after another, designed to needle a confession out of him. All he could do was groan.  
“Not very vocal today, are you, Theo?”  
“Alright!” He rolled over, drawing a hand roughly through his hair, before letting both hands settle over his face. “Yes!”  
“I knew it!”

“Congratulations.” It was a dry response, but he didn’t care. This was never supposed to come out.  
“Aw, don’t be like that.”  
Would it be wrong to knock Stiles out? He wouldn’t hurt him, just ensure a little peace and quiet for the time being. Unfortunately, Scott probably wouldn’t agree. No matter the situation.  
“So? How long?”  
“How long what, Stiles?”  
“When did you and Liam get together? I mean I should have known, based on-”  
“We’re not together.”

He was met with utter confusion. A stare that said he wasn’t making any sense.  
“What are you- but you and Liam-”  
“There _is_ no me and Liam. We’re friends. That’s it.”  
“You haven’t told him.”  
He didn’t bother answering. Stiles should have known that from the start.  
“I thought you just didn’t want me to talk about it with Liam, not that you didn’t want him to know.”  
Breathe. This would be over soon.  
“Theo, talk to me. Why haven’t you said anything?”

That’s it. It was too much. Too much to stay silent.  
“ _Why?_ Why do you think, Stiles? I don’t need to be laughed at. I don’t need to hear how ridiculous it is. I won’t risk losing Liam’s friendship over feelings that aren’t shared.”  
“Look, I’m not an expert, but I know a lovesick boy when I see one.”  
“Thanks for the reminder, Stiles. I’ll try to be less obvious.” The thought that Liam may have also recognised his feelings left a pit in his stomach. He couldn’t shake his unease. The longer he thought about it, the worse it got.  
“While you definitely take ‘lovesick’ to a whole new level, I was talking about Liam.”

It’s official. Stiles had lost his mind. There was no way Liam felt the same. It was pointless to wish for something that would never happen. Why Stiles seemed to think it was such a good idea to confess, was beyond him. Unless it was to see him crash and burn. It would probably make an entertaining sight to witness Liam turn him down.

No. Stop that. Stiles wouldn’t do that to him. Not anymore. Yes, Stiles would tease him and mess with him, but it always had a playful tone. It was never cruel like in the past. Stiles wouldn’t deliberately send him to do something, _knowing_ it would break him.  
“I appreciate the pep talk, but Liam and I really are just friends.”  
As much as he wanted more, he knew when he’d reached the limit. This was as much as he could ever hope for. It was enough. It had to be.

Stiles wanted to disagree, to call him out and reinforce the notion he could have more. There was a protest on the tips of Stiles’ lips, which would have been voiced, were it not for the sudden screech of tires.  
Liam.

The front door opened, (or more accurately was torn off its hinges), and footsteps sounded on the stairs. He sent a silent plea to Stiles, his desperation clear. It was a last minute appeal to spare him the humiliation, and one which Stiles thankfully acquiesced to.

At that same moment, Liam forced his way in, splintering the wooden door in the process.  
“Did you have to break everything? We could have opened the front door for you, and this one wasn’t even locked.” Stiles was rightfully annoyed, given the fact both would need to be either fixed or replaced. It was lucky Sheriff Stilinski was working a double shift and wasn’t home.

“Are you okay? What happened?”  
He was lost as to why Liam was so worked up. They had agreed to meet here, it’s not like anything was wrong. Then again, it was early. It was only two o’clock.  
“Shouldn’t you be at school still?” Come to think of it, Liam was puffed and in quite the state. “Did you run all the way here?

“Stiles called, but there was a crash and no one was answering. Then the call was cut off. I thought- I thought something was wrong. I thought someone had attacked you.”  
He purposefully ignored the small smirk Stiles directed at him. Now, was _not_ the time. Liam wasn’t referring to him alone. Liam was worried about both of them, and it was his fault. He never even thought to say something to Liam before ending the call. He hadn’t considered how it might sound. No wonder the beta had come all this way, in such a rush. He would have done the same.

“I’m sorry, Liam. Stiles was being a child, and I was trying to knock some sense into him. Apparently, it didn’t work. We must have hung up when the phone dropped.” Not an exact lie, but rather rewording the truth.  
“And neither of you thought to call me back?” Liam was angry, and he understood why. It was his fault that Liam had been scared.  
“Like I said, Stiles was being a child.” He offered a shy smile, hoping that would be enough to be forgiven. He hated when Liam was angry with him.  
Thankfully, Liam just sighed and smiled in return. “That I can believe.”  
“Hey!”

Both he and Liam started laughing at Stiles’ affronted cry. It was perfect. This was perfect. He never wanted it to end.  
Liam decided there was no point in going back to school; claiming he’d already missed part of his final classes and would only receive detention. He wasn’t sure that Jenna would agree with Liam’s logic, but who was he to argue? They spent the rest of the day talking and playing ‘Venomous’.  
He still insisted Stiles was cheating and Liam had joined the dark side. There was no way Stiles and Liam were better at this game than he was.

Before they knew it, it was late. Somehow the day had ended without any of them realising, and it was pitch black outside. It was well past dinner, and they realised with a start that Liam had thirty missed calls from Jenna. Along with another thirty from David. They were probably worried when neither of them returned home. The fact no one had thought to call them, was not going to go down well. Especially when Jenna and David found out it was because they were playing a video game.  
Liam was tempted to send a text, but they both knew that would only anger Liam’s parents more. After so many calls and hours of panic, the only way to possibly get out of this was to call them back.

It went about as well as you could imagine. Jenna was furious, but David was even worse. They were absolutely pissed. Liam had stepped into the hall and he could still hear every word. He swallowed when he heard Jenna demand that Liam put him on the phone. He was reluctant to actually answer. He’d have hung up and run, if he thought he could get away with it.

In reality though, Jenna and David would track him down and he’d be subjected to an unknown level of anger. Especially seeing as neither of them had mentioned the broken doors at Stiles’ yet.

He barely got a word in between their shouts. By the time it ended, he was reluctant to go home. Handing the phone back to Liam, the beta somehow managed to convince Jenna and David to let them spend the night at Stiles’. It was a miracle, and much to the amusement of Stiles, who found it hilarious that he was scared of Liam’s parents. That led to Liam having to pull him off of Stiles again. Stiles who had yet to stop laughing.

This was going to be a long night.


	21. Theo

Oh, had he been right.

They had never seen the Sheriff so angry. They were woken at four in the morning, (thank goodness he didn’t have any nightmares tonight), by a fuming Sheriff Stilinski. It didn’t take long for the situation to be explained, given the Sheriff cut off Stiles’ rambling immediately and demanded a straight answer. He had no choice but to answer. Thus throwing Liam under the bus, and resulting in a lecture about how stupid they had been.

“It’s one thing that I now have to pay to fix the doors, but it’s another completely, that you just left them like that. Hell, Stiles, you all went to sleep! Anyone could have walked in!”

Stiles’ attempts to talk and defend their actions went unheard. In fact, they went unspoken, since there was no time to say anything. There was nothing they could do, except sit and listen to the endless rant. That’s not an exaggeration, either. The Sheriff didn’t stop yelling (as quietly as possible, so as not to wake the neighbours), until five-thirty in the morning.

You heard right. An uninterrupted hour and a half of being raked over the coals. It was far from pleasant, and Liam’s promise to pay for the repairs didn’t help. At least, not entirely. Whilst that was definitely a key factor, Sheriff Stilinski understood Liam’s concern at the time. It was that concern however, that answered why the Sheriff wanted to ensure they understood. It was that very fear, that had caused the Sheriff to run inside, worried someone had broken in.

Apparently, if they’d just called from the start, it wouldn’t have been so bad. They could have hired someone to fix it then, rather than leaving it for half the day and night. It did make sense, but they just hadn’t wanted to face Sheriff Stilinski.

Okay, maybe Liam had. He and Stiles, on the other hand, did _not_ want to be anywhere near the Sheriff when the truth came out. Namely him, given the tension with Stiles’ dad. His reluctance proved right when he was instantly blamed. Stiles tried to stand up for him, but no one was really allowed to speak, let alone convince the Sheriff this wasn’t ‘a plot to kill them’.

There was a lot of bad blood between them, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever move past it.

As a result, they were made to call and organise the repair. They weren’t allowed to go back to sleep until it was done, and the repair shop didn’t open until seven am. By the time someone came and repaired both doors, it would be at least another hour and a half. It would be nine am before they could even consider going to sleep, and he and Liam had to be back by no later than ten o’clock.

It was going to be another long day. Sighing, he tried to remind himself of the positives. It was only nine more days until the ritual. Nine days until he could break the curse. He had somehow made it through the curse mostly unharmed. There had thankfully been few incidents, and he remained relatively unscathed.

He claimed the first shower, mostly to annoy Stiles. It was Stiles’ house, after all and the owner’s should go first... or so, Stiles repeatedly grumbled.  
“Well, since your dad’s sleeping, that makes me next.”  
More grumbling. It was just too easy.

He still wasn’t used to the feeling of a hot shower. It was a luxury he wasn’t accustomed to, given his circumstances. He was lucky if he could occasionally sneak into the high school locker rooms, which were barely warm and by no means private. He was constantly on guard, worried that someone would walk in.  
He did _not_ want to be caught trespassing, especially whilst undressed. The Sheriff’s department would have a field day. He was still under constant watch, (hence the increased difficulty sneaking in), and if he were found on school grounds, he would definitely be arrested.

He was so immersed in the warmth that he’d lost track of time. The peace unceremoniously shattered when an ice cold stream of water hit his skin. It sent a chill through his whole body, removing any trace of heat. Recoiling in one sharp movement, his back hit the glass screen, with an uncontainable shriek.  
“Problem, Theo?”  
He could practically see the amused grin. He was going to _kill_ Stiles.  
“What did you do?”  
“Oh, we just switched the hot water off. You don’t mind do you?”  
“Turn it on.”  
He was trying very hard to stay calm, but Stiles wasn’t helping. Nor was the fact Liam had started laughing. He should have known Liam would be in on this.

“We will. Once you come out.”  
“ _Stiles_.”  
“Don’t growl at me, Theo. It’s our turn.”  
“I’m not done-”  
“Yes, you are. I won’t ask again.”  
Was that supposed to scare him? He switched the water off, seeing as he couldn’t use it anyway. Fine. Two could play this game.  
“I don’t mind waiting. I’ll just stay here until you’re ready to fix the water.”  
There’s no way Stiles could outlast him. Not when it involved patience. He had practically won already.  
“Go ahead. While you’re there, I can fill Liam in on our earlier conversation.”

What? What could Stiles possibly be referencing? There was nothing special about what was said. Nothing that stood out. It was no different to any other day. Aside from...  
Oh, no.  
No, Stiles wouldn’t...  
“Well?”  
“Stiles-”  
“This is your last chance, Theo.”  
“ _Don’t_.”  
“Have it your way.”  
Stiles was bluffing. It had to be a bluff. Stiles wouldn’t really-  
“Liam, Theo has a-”  
“Stop!” He scrambled frantically to open the door. “I’m coming!”

In his haste, he had to forgo getting dressed, as he practically threw himself into the hall. As a result, he was now facing Stiles and Liam in nothing more than a towel. A fact Stiles seemed to enjoy, given the smirk that graced his appearance. Stiles’ amusement was all he could see, since he absolutely _refused_ to look at Liam, who had yet to speak.  
“Nice outfit.”

The increasingly familiar sensation of heat creeping to the surface, prickled his skin. Unlike in the past, it didn’t stop at his cheeks. It didn’t even slow down like the few times it had reached this point. Oh, no. This time it travelled straight down his neck to the edge of his chest. His ears felt warm, and he just _knew_ it wasn’t a light dusting of pink, either. He didn’t need to see himself to know his skin was tinted dark red. All too clear to anyone watching.

“Shut up, Stiles.”  
“It’s not my fault you rushed out.” That insufferable grin returned. Sometimes, he swore Stiles was still out to get him. He had to remind himself, it’s just part of who Stiles is. He’d seen how the human acted around the rest of the Pack. The jokes had simply taken a less severe approach in regards to him, lately.

“ _I’m going to kill you._ ”  
“Now, now. No need for violence.”  
Oh, that little-  
“Wait.”  
Oh, what now?  
“You have a tattoo?”  
A tat- oh, right. “Yes, Stiles. I do. Now, if you don’t mind-”  
“Since when?”  
“I didn’t want the reminder the hunter’s so kindly left me.” This was getting a little too close to home. It was a sensitive subject, and one he’d rather not think about.  
“It’s nice.”

Well, there’s that. At least he didn’t have to hear questions on his choices. He’d heard about Stiles’ dislike for Scott’s tattoo, and he wasn’t prepared to argue his decisions.  
“I understand the moon and tree.” (He highly doubts that. Maybe on a superficial level.) “‘Hope’ was unexpected, but makes sense.” (Nice to know.) “What I don’t understand is why you chose a nine.”

Oh, no. He was _not_ talking about this. Not now. Not with Stiles.  
“I’m not having this conversation.”  
“It’s only one question, Theo.”  
“I said no.”  
“I promise I won’t laugh, if that’s what you’re worried about. Call it curiosity.”  
“Stiles, I’m _not_ doing this with you.”  
“It can’t be that bad.”  
Liam started to speak, to defend his right to keep the reason to himself, but Stiles got in first. Apparently too invested to pay attention to what words were used.  
“Come on, Theo. Tell me.”

A wave of nausea hit instantly, forming a vicious pit in his stomach. The reality of the situation left him cringing. This was exactly what he had been worried about. He could feel the urge to speak, to answer, and no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t fight it. The words were pulled out into the open, faster than he could anticipate. His answer however, was muffled and inaudible, due to the hand hastily cupped over his mouth.

_Liam_.

Liam was protecting him. As always.  
“Stiles.” Liam was angry. Angrier than he’d heard in a while. It was worse than when he’d had to block Stiles from Liam’s wrath out by the town border. If he were being honest, he didn’t think he’d ever seen Liam this angry. The beta was practically seething.  
“What?” Stiles honestly had no idea what had changed. It was a side effect of speaking before you had a chance to think it through. He doubted Stiles even realised the meaning behind those few words.  
  


“You swore you wouldn’t use the curse against Theo.” Liam was clinging to the last threads of restraint. Any moment now, the hallway could turn into Liam’s warpath. The hand hadn’t moved from where it sat firmly against his mouth. He could only assume it was in case Stiles issued another demand. He placed a hand on Liam’s shoulder, in an attempt to ease the beta’s anger.

“What are you talking about?”  
“You _know_ what, Stiles.” There was no room for disagreement in Liam’s tone. Arguing would only make it worse, and he really hoped Stiles realised soon.  
“I really don’t-”  
Suddenly, it dawned on Stiles, _exactly_ what had happened. The immediate wave of guilt was so strong, it almost knocked him off balance. He had been teetering on the edge since his hurried retreat from the bathroom, and had yet to fully regain his composure.  
“Theo... I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.”  
Taking a deep breath, he moved his hand from Liam’s shoulder to the hand still resting over his mouth. As his fingers brushed the soft skin, Liam turned to look at him. A question visible in those blue eyes. They were asking if he was sure. It would be okay. Nodding, Liam reluctantly let the hand drop and took a small step back.

“It’s okay, Stiles. I know.”  
“You’re not mad?”  
He understood Stiles’ confusion. Ordinarily, he would have been. If it had been anyone else, in any other situation, he’d have been furious. As it was, he knew Stiles and how difficult it was for Stiles to manage filtering thoughts first.

“No. I’m not. Like you said, you didn’t mean to.”  
Both Liam and Stiles were surprised at how well he was taking this. The former was staring at him in shock, whilst Stiles softly nodded in acknowledgment of his forgiveness.  
“Well, I’m, uh...” Stiles had to clear his throat before continuing, the words lodged within. “I’m just... going to have a... shower.”

With that, he and Liam were left alone. The lock clicking in the background broke the tense silence, and brought Liam out of the apparent stupor he was witnessing.  
And, cue the questions.  
“How are you not angry, right now? I thought-”  
“What’s the point, Liam? It’s not like I can change it, and nothing happened. Thanks to you.” He smiled, unable to hide his gratitude. “Besides, it was an accident, and honestly, it’s a miracle it hasn’t happened already.”  
“Right, and where was this understanding when I accidentally asked you?” Liam had a way of comparing any situation, in order to prove a perceived injustice. No matter how small.

“That was different, and you know it.”  
“It was an-”  
“Accident or not, it came shortly after you deliberately ordered me to stay away from the witch. I wasn’t sure whether it was intentional or not, and besides. I was already angry.”

There was no way to dispute the differences, which is why Liam conceded with a sigh. “I suppose you’re right.” A sudden twitch of lips caught his attention. Whatever Liam said next, wasn’t going to be good. Not for him, at least. “You might want to put some clothes on.”  
Shit. He’d completely forgotten. The heat which had only recently faded, flooded back with a vengeance. This entire time he’d been... and Liam...

“Given the circumstances, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything about a mysterious conversation between you and Stiles.”  
He groaned. It was the only appropriate response. Not only had he nearly revealed a crucial thought to Stiles and been seen barely clothed, his feelings for Liam had been addressed. Albeit cryptically, but still. He was lucky Liam was letting him off easy and not pushing the fact. They both knew Liam _always_ found the truth if he tried. The day wasn’t over yet, though, because he just realised his clothes were still spread on the bathroom floor. Behind a locked door. He’d have to wait for Stiles.

As Liam laughed, he retreated to the bedroom. A few minutes later, Stiles finally appeared holding his clothes. It was a massive relief to change, while Stiles went to make breakfast.

It was a tense few moments when Liam came in, but the earlier embarrassment soon faded. An immersive conversation about history later, (Liam really was fascinated by the subject), and he felt at ease again. Or at least, more so than before. A small amount of tension remained due to what he was about to say. He knew Liam wouldn’t laugh, and whilst he was sure that it wouldn’t be a problem, he couldn’t make himself say the words.  
“Ask me.”

“What?” Liam glanced at him, confused. He’d cut him off mid-sentence, so it was reasonable to assume it had come out of nowhere.  
“Ask me what it means. The nine.”  
It took Liam a moment to understand what he was talking about, and when he saw the realisation he tried to prepare himself mentally. As hard as it was, he needed to do this.

“Theo, you don’t-”  
“I said, ask me.”  
“It’s not-”  
“Damn it, Liam! I want to, alright?! I want to, but I can’t make myself say the words. It’s been too long as it is. I should have told you weeks ago. You’re not forcing me to do anything I didn’t decide for myself. You’re simply helping me go through with it. Just do it!”  
“Tell me what the nine in your tattoo means.” Liam stated it so abruptly and with such calm, he was somehow caught off guard. Even though he’d practically begged Liam to.  
“Your lacrosse number.” He couldn’t fight the blush creeping through his skin for the third time that day.  
“My... wait. My would you choose my lacrosse number?”

“It’s-uh, representative of you.”  
Liam’s eyes widened, and he swallowed back a wave of uncertainty. It was fine. It would be fine. Just finish. Once it’s out there, it’ll be one less secret he has to keep.  
“You’ve, uh, helped me. Through both curses. Through all of this. I can’t- I couldn’t have handled half of what I went through without you. The nine is a symbol of your support.” His eyes were fixed on the ground, as he tried to will the heat in his cheeks to fade.

“Theo.”  
It was soft, soothing. A reassurance in that one word. In his name. As he slowly looked up, he saw Liam smiling. Gently. Happy. There was no trace of mockery. No sign of amusement. It was one which expressed the very support he’d been referencing.  
“It’s beautiful. I’m honoured.”

That’s all he needed to hear. He’d known Liam wouldn’t mind, but he’d needed to hear the words. To put the lingering doubts to rest. It was a relief to have one less secret to carry. One less weight to hold. When Stiles called them down, insisting that breakfast was ready and going cold, he felt like he might finally belong.

~

_Oh my..._  
Stiles’ cooking was _delicious._


	22. Liam

He’d never considered his support meant that much to Theo. Don’t get him wrong, he wasn’t oblivious. He knew it was important. Everyone needs a little help every now and then. Theo in particular, given the circumstances surrounding Theo’s childhood.  
He just hadn’t realised exactly _how much_ he was helping. It turns out he’d had a bigger impact than he’d thought.

The biggest surprise was how excited he’d been to learn the meaning behind that missing piece. Knowing he was in some way linked to Theo in such a permanent way, made him happier than he knew how to express.  
He didn’t know why, but he liked knowing he’d left such a memorable mark on Theo.


	23. Liam

It might have offered a nice break from all the stress, caused by their constant fighting, but he’d never quite get used to Stiles and Theo getting along. Sure, it was hesitant and new at first, but it was there nonetheless. He, along with the rest of the Pack, were witnessing the beginning of a friendship.

Yes, it was nice to spend time with _both_ Stiles and Theo, without the fear that Theo would be harassed. That didn’t make it any less strange to see. It was scary to think about what those two would get up to together. In some ways, they were almost the same person. They were known for their sarcasm, self-assurance and snark.

Even the Sheriff had started to ease up, lately. He had been relieved to hear that the deputies were no longer watching Theo’s every move. When he’d first heard about it, Theo had to spend nearly two hours calming him down. He had been prepared to storm the station, there and then. Now, the Sheriff seemed to realise Theo no longer posed an imminent risk.

“Do I even want to know where you’ve been?”  
Theo had just returned after spending the day with Stiles. It just didn’t sound, right. Not after he’d had to defend Theo from Stiles so many times. Even after all this time, he was still half expecting this to be a ploy, designed to embarrass Theo when they were least expecting it.

“Oh, relax. I was with Stiles. It was alright, until we were somehow roped into helping the Sheriff clean the garage.”  
“How?”  
“You don’t want to know.”  
He had barely opened his mouth, when Theo spoke again.  
“Okay, maybe you do, but you’re not going to find out.”  
Did Theo really think he wouldn’t find out? He has yet to remain in the dark on anything that happens, and he doesn’t plan to start now.  
“You sure about that?”  
“Don’t look at me like that, Liam. I’m not telling you.”

“Then I’ll just have to ask Stiles.”  
“Good luck with that. He’s not going to tell you when it involves him as well.”  
Theo seemed so sure, as if there was no possible way he could find out. Theo had apparently forgotten that there was another person who could fill him in.  
“In that case, I’m sure Sheriff Stilinski would be more than happy to share his tips with me.”

And just like that, the truth dawned as Theo’s eyes widened. The fact he was one call away from learning _exactly_ what happened was undeniable.  
“Liam-”  
“All I have to do is ring the station...”  
Pulling his phone out, he grinned as Theo ran after him, chasing him through the house. He slipped into his room and locked the door, seconds before Theo caught up. The loud crash in the hall, signalled that Theo had in fact, hit the door. He was able to sit on his bed, undisturbed, knowing that Theo was locked out.

“Come on, Liam, let me in.”  
“You could always break the door down.”  
“Jenna would kill me.” Theo hissed, and it was true. She really would.  
“I guess you’re stuck, then.”  
“ _Liam_.”  
Dialling the Beacon Hills Sheriff’s Department, he had to stifle his laughter at Theo’s continued failed attempts to get in.  
“Could you be a little quieter, Theo? I’m on the phone.”  
There’s the growl. “That’s not funny, Liam.”

_“Beacon Hills Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Stilinski speaking.”_  
The noise outside stilled, suggesting Theo had heard the voice, too.  
“Just the person I was looking for. It’s Liam, Sheriff. I know you’re working, but I was hoping you could tell me-” He grinned as Theo started calling out again. “-how you convinced Theo to help with your garage?”  
The Sheriff’s laughter rung clear through the phone, and he could just picture Theo’s blush already.  
 _“That’s an interesting story...”_

As he listened to the Sheriff explain _exactly_ why Theo agreed, smiling at the groan from the other side of the door, he couldn’t help but feel happy. As strange as it was, it was nice to know Stiles and Theo really were getting along. It was nice to know that Theo had another friend, and that Stiles would no longer be causing problems.

He knew Theo would get him back for this, but it was worth it.


	24. Jenna

Oh, she was so done. This was the final straw. She’d had it up to here with the Pack. Just as she thinks she’s aware of what’s happening, someone pulls the rug out from under her feet. Liam was lucky she hadn’t grounded him, after not informing her and David of the curse in the first place. Even more so, when neither he nor Theo thought to call and say they were running late. Oh, no. She and David were left to sit at home wondering if they were hurt.  
Now, this. This was one step too far. This was one step past her limit, and it wasn’t even their fault.

She’d come home to find the boys in Liam’s room, tired from a long day as it was. All she wanted was to say hello and lay down. Did she get that? No. Instead, she was currently driving across town. Angrier than she’d been in years.

Before she could open the door to Liam’s room, she froze at Theo’s words. Like last time, neither boy seemed to have registered her presence. Hence why she’d barged into the room, startling both Liam and Theo from where they lay on the bed.

Before Liam could get more than one word out, she’d demanded an answer. The exchanged glances and silence was an answer in itself. With everything she needed to know on hand, she stormed out. The frantic calls and stumbled steps from behind, did nothing to stop her.

There was no holding her back now. Nothing would come in her way. Nothing would stop her from making herself clear.  
She called Scott as soon as she left, and told him to gather everyone at the clinic for an urgent Pack meeting. She knew the boys would follow. There was no doubt in her mind. It was better that way, though. Then everyone would be there.

Sure enough, when she pulled into the carpark, Theo’s truck was turning the corner. A little too quickly, mind you. She’d have to have a word with Theo, after this was all over.  
Ignoring her shouted name, she pushed through the front doors and made her way into the crowded exam room. She was met with expressions full of startled shock, wary anticipation and pure confusion.

“Mrs Geyer, you called a Pack meeting-”  
“I’ll do the talking, Scott.” She watched as everyone flinched at her anger, retreating further into the room. All but one. Her eyes zoned in on the one who didn’t shy away. “I have never been more furious or disappointed with someone in my life.”  
The door flew open behind her, and the rushed footsteps froze rather abruptly. She knew both Liam and Theo could tell they were too late. She’d started and there was no going back. There never was.

“How _dare_ you treat Theo like that? How _dare_ you abuse Theo the way you did? You had _no right_. Tying him up? Attacking him? _Threatening_ him? Taking advantage of the curse?! How _dare_ you try to control Theo?!”

Malia didn’t bother answering. She just stood there, staring back unflinchingly. The rest of the Pack were all too stunned or afraid to do more than watch. She hadn’t missed the increasing distance between her and the members of the Pack. She wasn’t bothered by their discomfort., though. Honestly, she couldn’t care less if they were uncomfortable, right now. Not after what Theo had been put through.

“Don’t you _ever_ try to hurt Theo again.” Her eyes fixed on Malia, she noticed the change in stance, immediately. The narrowed gaze, the deepening frown, the way she shifted into an upright position, (no longer leaning on the bench).

“You can’t tell me what to do.”  
“You better believe I can. You tried to force Theo to obey your every word, no matter what he thought. I won’t stand here and watch. I’m putting an end to this, right now.”  
“I’m not going to take orders from someone I hardly know. You’re not my mum.” Growling. Malia was actually growling at her. This was not going to end well.

“No, but I am Theo’s.”  
That caused a whole new level of silence. She was greeted with confused stares from every direction. No one spoke. Not because they were too afraid to interrupt her, but because no one knew what to say.  
“You are not. Theo killed his parents.”  
Oh, she was done. She’d _had_ it with Malia. She spared a glance at Theo, whose wide eyes were filled with pain and guilt. Liam stood by him, a hand on Theo’s shoulder. She noticed the whispered words, the way Theo leant into Liam’s touch. Turning back, she was well past what she thought possible. She had never thought she could be this furious.

“What Theo did or did not do in the past, is not subject to discussion here. His mistakes are just that. Mistakes. He has been trying to make up for them. He has been trying to move on, and you’re standing in his way. Oh, and for your information, I _am_ Theo’s Mum. Just as much as I’m Liam’s Mum. Biological son or not, I will not let you hurt him.”

Again, no one spoke. No one dared move. Malia didn’t blink. Didn’t budge. She could see Malia had no intention of listening to her, and let it be known, that would not stand. “This is about you and your despicable behaviour. This is about your utter lack of common decency and humanity. You will _not_ hurt Theo. Do you understand me?”  
Malia merely scoffed.  
“If I find out you’ve done _anything_ else after I leave, there’ll be trouble.”

After a moment of just staring at Malia, ensuring it was clear that she meant every word, she turned to the rest of the Pack.  
“As for the rest of you.” She watched as they recoiled at her harsh tone. No one wanted her attention on them. No one wanted to meet her gaze, instead choosing to look down, the ground beneath their feet suddenly a lot more interesting than a moment ago.

“You’re supposed to be a Pack. You’re supposed to be there for one another. You’re _not_ supposed to tear each other down. How could all of you treat Theo so poorly? The fact those of you who didn’t actively participate, just stood by and did _nothing_. You just _let_ it happen.”

At least they all seemed to regret their inaction. She could see the realisation and understanding through their eyes and hunched postures. Letting out a deep breath, she tried to calm down. She’d ripped through the Pack enough. Now, she had a more pressing issue to address.

“You can go.” She dismissed the Pack with those three words, and everyone rushed to be anywhere but there. Other than Malia, who walked out without a care in the world. She would need to keep an eye on her.

Turning around, she met Theo’s wide-eyed gaze with a softened expression. All lingering traces of her anger faded at the tears glistening in those green eyes. Moving closer, she took Theo’s hand in her own. Holding it up to her lips, she kissed the soft skin, before letting it drop. She didn’t take her hand away, though.

“Theo. You don’t have to accept being mistreated like you have. You don’t need to accept the way Malia speaks to you.”  
She noted the doubt creeping in, flooding those green eyes. She hated knowing Theo was so insecure about his place here. She hated that he felt he deserved it. That it would always be there. Clawing at his walls. At the walls he’d built to protect him. She hated that he still felt he needed those walls.

“I’m serious, Theo. You don’t have to accept any of this. If Malia does _anything_ , I want you to tell me immediately. Okay?”  
Too emotional for words, he offered a small nod.

“You need to know I meant every word of what I said, Theo. Including you being my son.”  
Her heart broke at the way Theo swallowed, biting his lip in a nervous tick. “Y-you did?”  
“Yes. Of course, I did. You might not live with us, but that doesn’t change the fact you’re a part of this family. You’re my son, Theo. Just as much as Liam is.”

The tears which had been pooling in Theo’s eyes, threatening to spill, finally broke. They streamed down Theo’s cheeks, every emotion on display. For the first time, Theo had completely dropped his mask. She drew him forward, wrapping him in a hug. She held him close, chest tight at the way his arms encircled her and held on for dear life. It was as if he thought she’d disappear if he let go. As if this were a dream.

They stood there, for as long as Theo needed. As long as it took for Theo to feel safe. To know that she wasn’t going to leave him. When he finally stepped back, wiping away the lingering tears, she squeezed his hand once more.  
“I should be going. I need to get some sleep before your father finishes work. I’ll see you at home.”

Liam, who was still holding Theo’s hand, wished her goodbye. She didn’t miss the mouthed ‘thank you’, when Theo wasn’t looking. Smiling, she turned to leave before calling over her shoulder, “Oh, and one more thing. Drive slower, please. I don’t want to hear you’ve crashed.”


	25. Theo

Five days.  
Just five days to go.  
He could hardly contain the sense of relief building inside of him. It wanted to come out, to be known. The closer it came to the ritual, the happier he was.

Liam was watching Luana again, so he was stuck playing the patient yet again. When Luana first arrived she’d wanted to make sure he was okay, that he’d healed from the last time she’d been here. It was rather sweet when he thought about it. Okay, no. Stop. He couldn’t go down that road. His feelings for Liam were hard enough. He couldn’t afford to develop a fondness for Luana as well.

Anyway, once she was confident he wasn’t in any danger, she declared it was time to practice. That’s right. They weren’t playing a game. This wasn’t about pretend doctors. Oh, no. It was much more than that. Luana was practicing her skills for when she became a real doctor. In which case, he was her ‘real’ patient.

It wasn’t too bad, though. All he had to do was lay in bed, while Luana dressed his ‘wounds’ and checked his charts. She was taking this seriously. She spoke about recovery times and check up appointments. There were points where it felt eerily similar to a hospital.  
Then came the needle. Apparently, Luana needed to check his blood for some reason. Well, at least this one’s plastic-  
“Ow!”

“Theo, what’s wrong?”  
Liam was rightfully confused. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t felt it for himself.  
“How-?” He looked at Luana, who seemed put off by his sudden shout. As if he was interrupting her ‘practice’. Liam was looking at him like he’d lost his mind.  
“Theo, it’s just a toy.”  
He didn’t appreciate the sound of judgement in Liam’s voice. “No, it’s not. A toy doesn’t pierce the skin.”

That made Liam’s eyes narrow. He tilted the hand he had covering his arm, angled away from Luana, so Liam could see the blood. The cut had already healed, but Luana couldn’t know that. There was also more than a drop of blood. She had pressed quite deep and must have nicked something in the process.

”Luana, show me the needle.” Liam held a hand out, in no mood to accept anything other than complete compliance. Luana reluctantly passed the supposed ‘toy’ to Liam, frowning at the disruption. The cause of the anomaly was easily identified. The plastic tip was missing and had been replaced by a sewing needle. It extended well past the toy’s edge. If they’d been paying attention, they would have seen it, but who would question that? “What did you do, Luana?”

“I couldn’t practice drawing blood with something made of plastic. It needs to go through the skin to work.” Luana said it as if it made sense. As if a six year old blindly administering a needle with no training was natural.  
“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? How deep did you press? You could have cut a vein.” Liam was well past unimpressed. So much so, he refused to let the game continue. Regardless of Luana’s protests.  
“It’s not a game!”

“Yes, it is, Luana. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a doctor and taking this seriously. There is a problem however, with hiding a needle in your toys.”  
“I need to practice!”  
“We’re done. You can find something else to do.” Liam sighed when she stormed out of the room. “I’ll be back.”

Shortly after, Liam returned and offered an apologetic smile. He accepted the wet cloth to clean his arm, before applying the bandaid. The cost of keeping up appearances.   
“Where’s Luana?”  
“Downstairs drawing. I’m sorry, Theo. I had no idea she’d-”  
“It’s fine. It’s not like I don’t heal, and besides it wasn’t that bad. It was a shock more than anything.”  
“Still. I can’t believe she did that.”

He could. There were a lot of times where he did something he probably shouldn’t have as a child. I mean this was a little more extreme than his own experiences, (Dread Doctors not included), but Luana hadn’t meant to hurt him or upset anyone. She just loves medicine and wants to help. A little reminder of boundaries might be good, though.

The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully. He and Liam sat downstairs to watch a movie, whilst Luana remained off to the side. She drew in silence and refused to so much as look at them. She still hadn’t forgiven them for their refusal to play before. The most they had gotten her to do was eat something, and even that was without answering. Luana just took the plate and sat at the table.

He was just drifting off, slipping sideways to rest on Liam’s shoulder, when the front door opened. Jolting awake, he saw Liam’s small grin but refused to acknowledge it. As far as he was concerned, nothing happened. Luana’s parents walked in with Jenna and David, and it instantly went downhill.

Usually Luana was jumping with excitement after spending the day with Liam. Her parents were concerned to see her so still and unhappy. The questions begun, and of course Luana altered the facts to fit her own perception. It sounded bad when she simply said she wasn’t allowed to be a doctor. It did however, elicit confusion and further questions as everyone knew how much Liam encouraged her.

Giving Liam a chance to explain provided a lot more information and helped clear everything up. Let’s just say, Luana’s parents were less than impressed to hear about the improvised needle.

“Theo moved! It’s not my fault it cut. Everyone knows you don’t move!”  
Oh, so it was his fault? How original.  
Luana’s dad didn’t accept that for a second, nor did her mum. They both reiterated the danger and risk involved in what she had done, not to mention the fact she didn’t warn them. Her doctor’s kit was confiscated, until each tool could be thoroughly inspected. Luana also had to prove she wouldn’t try something like that again.

Upset about how events had turned out, Luana stormed outside to the car, followed by her apologetic parents. Her mum apologised to Liam for Luana’s behaviour, whilst her dad addressed him specifically.  
“I’m sorry, Theo. I hope you’re okay.”  
It was the last thing he’d expected. Knowing that Liam was concerned about him and cared about his opinions was one thing, but to have someone outside the Pack entirely worry... he didn’t know how to react.  
“I’m fine. Really.”

With that, Luana’s family left and it was once again just Liam, Jenna, David and himself. The last month may have been strange, and even confronting at times, but he wouldn’t change it for all the power in the world.


	26. Theo

It’s payback time.  
He’d told himself he’d get Liam back for calling the Sheriff. He still hasn’t heard the end of it. Okay, sure, it was _maybe_ entertaining to anyone not involved, but he couldn’t hide the blush that rose every time Liam referenced it. Of course, that only caused an increase in frequency. Well, two can play this game, and it’s Liam’s turn.

He’d set up a camera in Liam’s room without the beta’s knowledge that same day. Having seen more than a few... _interesting_ situations, he wished he’d thought of this sooner. Oh, and for the record, no. Nothing untoward was captured. It was only a matter of time before he caught something that would work. Sure enough, only three days later, he had the perfect footage.

Scott and Stiles were spending the day at Liam’s, which made it the perfect opportunity for a ‘movie night’. The best part was everyone’s eagerness. Namely Liam, who was extremely excited to watch ‘Iron Man’.  
Unfortunately, he had... _other_ plans in mind.

He couldn’t stop smiling as he sat down beside Liam on the couch, having inserted the disc and set everything in motion. It didn’t take long for the excitement to die down and the room to fall into silence. Scott looked to Stiles, who was eyeing the video with utter curiosity. Liam... well, Liam was not only confused, but currently offended.  
“That’s... that’s not ‘Iron Man’. Is that- is that my room? Are you _recording_ my room?”  
He couldn’t help but smirk. “You haven’t even seen the best part yet.”  
“I can’t believe you put a _camera_ in my-”

_“How drunk are you?”_  
Liam’s eyes widened so much, it was comical. Mouth ajar. “You did _not_ record that. Theo, tell me this isn’t-”  
 _“I’m alive! I’m batmobile!”_  
 _“Dude, I think you mean Batman.”_  
Liam jumped off the couch, practically trying to tackle the television, in an attempt to stop the video. Too bad he didn’t agree with the change of plan. He wrapped his arms around Liam’s waist, pulling the beta back without so much as leaving his seat. He had to laugh as Liam struggled to break free.

“Let me go.”  
“You’re interrupting the movie, Liam.”  
“Theo, come on. Turn it off!”  
Stiles was too invested in what was happening on screen, to notice that Liam was currently sitting on his lap. Okay, he was holding him there, but only to prevent the video ending early. Scott appeared too stunned to react.  
 _“To infinity and beyond!”_  
 _“Liam, that’s ‘Toy Story’.”_

_”I give you, the future of ninjutsu!”_ A crash sounded on screen as the lamp was kicked off Liam’s bedside table... and the beside table was split in half. Mason’s aggrieved sigh filled the room.  
 _“You know I love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Liam, but this is getting ridiculous. You’re going to destroy your room at this rate.”_  
Stiles was glued to the screen, grinning to himself and strangely quiet. Even Scott was shaking his head fondly.

“Theo, turn it off!”  
“Why would I do that? I seem to remember you calling the Sheriff about me.”  
Liam muttered a curse, still trying to push him off. Let’s just say, it wasn’t working. “I knew you’d want to get me back, but come on. Not this.”  
“I don’t seem to recall having a say in my case, so tell me again... Why should you?” It was cute how flustered Liam was, and they hadn’t even reached the climax yet.

Stiles was laughing. Softly, contained. Just wait until they see the rest.  
 _“You’d better hold on tight, spidermonkey...”_  
 _“Okay, I know you didn’t just quote ‘Twilight’.”_ A loud grunt was heard as Liam literally _jumped_ on Mason. No. On second thoughts, Liam _pounced._ The poor human was pushed flat against the floor, with Liam refusing to get up. That is, until something in the room caught that drunk stare. Something too interesting to pass up.  
By now, Stiles was in hysterics.

He leant over to whisper in Liam’s ear. “I think we both know what comes next.”  
And, there it is. A light pink tint to Liam’s skin.  
“Theo- Theo, please.”  
One smirk later, and the words finally rung loud and clear for everyone to hear.  
 _“Mon amour! Once in a while, in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale!”_  
 _“Are you seriously hitting on a shirt, right now?”_ Mason was far from impressed. Liam even more so at the lack of agreement to the ‘relationship’.

_“Dost thou dare dishonour thy love?!”_  
Liam groaned, head pressed back against his shoulder. It provided a nice view of the darkening blush spreading quickly over Liam’s cheeks and ears. Meanwhile, Stiles had completely lost it and was hunched over with uncontrollable laughter. Even Scott had started laughing softly.  
 _“It’s a shirt, Liam!”_

“Theo, please!”  
“I don’t know. The ending was rather... informative.”  
Okay, he was a little worried about the sheer size of Liam’s eyes, right now. They were wide enough, he thought Liam might actually burst. Then the beta cringed and desperately started fighting again. Struggling to escape his hold.  
“Theo. I’m begging you! Don’t show it! Come on. You _can’t_ show them that!”  
 _“It’s not just a shirt, Mason! It’s my life! My soul! My love!”_  
“Theo!”

_“Oh, to be young and in love!”_ Liam started singing. Stiles was no longer making any sound, due to the lack of air. Instead, he was shaking silently, with Scott close behind.  
“Theo, I beg you!”

Okay. That was enough. He gave in and released his hold on Liam, laughing as the beta sprinted to the television. As the screen went black, the video slid out and was snapped in half within seconds.  
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be upstairs.” He had never seen Liam leave a room so fast. In fact, usually he had to drag the beta away.  
For a moment, Theo ignored Scott’s questions and Stiles’ _endless_ commentary. The image of Liam blushing fresh in his mind. The transition from lightly tinted to dark red was beautiful. It was adorable. That train of thought ended suddenly at Stiles’ next words.  
“It was your shirt.”

His...? “What on Earth are you talking about, Stiles?” The grin he saw left him wary, and more than a little uneasy.  
“In the video. It was your shirt.”  
Okay, no. It wasn’t. He would’ve noticed that... No. It couldn’t be... Oh my... _It was his shirt._  
“Figure it out, yet?” That insatiable grin was still there. Stiles was _still_ enjoying this.

“It’s not a big deal. Obviously it was on the ground, and Liam saw it there. I threw one at him the other day. It doesn’t matter.”  
“Oh, I think it does. You know _exactly_ what it means. Don’t you?” Stiles’ grin just kept growing, getting wider and more amused with every passing second.

He also knew very well what Stiles was insinuating, and he didn’t appreciate it. They’d had this discussion already. He didn’t need to relive the fact that Liam doesn’t feel the same way about him. He’d accepted that. It was buried and out of mind, or at least it would be, if Stiles would just _let it go_.

More than that though, he didn’t appreciate the fact Stiles was bringing this up in the company of Scott, and, oh yeah, _Liam_. Liam, who was upstairs _right now_ , and could hear _every word_ they were saying.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It was true. There was nothing special about the fact it was his shirt. Not to Liam. It was purely coincidental.  
“Oh, really? Are you sure about that?”

Breathe. Just breathe. His heart was beating a hundred miles an hour, and he could barely keep it under control. He could barely keep it hidden. There were prying ears all around him, and he was so close to being caught.  
“You see, Theo. I think you know _exactly_ what this means, and you just don’t want to admit it.”

Breathe. Do _not_ do this. The last thing he needs is to _faint_ in front of Scott and Stiles. It was however, starting to feel more and more likely with every passing second. “It’s nothing.” He was silently pleading with Stiles not to say anything. To drop it. He tried to let his plea show in his eyes, without being overly obvious. He didn’t want Scott realising the truth, or worse, Liam finding out.

By the mercy of some power greater than their own, Stiles let him keep his secret. The questions stopped. The prodding comments ceased. Slowly, _agonisingly_ slow, he let out a deep breath. It needed to sound as regular as possible, while his heart gradually returned to a stable rate and didn’t leave him fearing a cardiac event.

When Stiles stood up claiming they should go, Scott looked more confused than ever. It didn’t however, stop Scott from following Stiles to the door. They exchanged farewells. The car doors opened and closed. Ignition on. Tires turning. The engine noise receding into the distance, and _finally_ , he could breathe.   
Until he realised Stiles was now alone with Scott, with a reasonable drive home and an otherwise unoccupied mind. Stiles wasn’t even driving. Scott was. There was absolutely no distraction to steer the conversation away from what he feared. For all he knew, Stiles had already told Scott. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Scott would have asked Stiles the moment they were out of earshot.

No. Oh, please no. He had never pulled his phone out so fast in his life. With shaking hands, he typed out a frantic message. It took five tries to form legible words, and another three to construct an actual sentence. One that didn’t resemble the inside of a blender.

_To: Stiles_   
_Don’t tell Scott. Please._

He waited, and waited and waited. The silence was killing him. There was no response.

_To: Stiles_   
_Stiles, please. You can’t tell him._

Again, no response. What if he was too late? What if Scott already knew? What if-? His thoughts were cut off by his phone’s (loud) ‘ding’ alerting him of a new text.

_To: Theo_   
_I know your freaking out over there. Stop. I told you I wouldn’t say anything._

A sigh of relief passed his lips, before he could hold it back. Sitting down, he let his head fall to his lap. Even breaths. In and out. Another ‘ding’.

_To: Theo_   
_Besides, I have faith you’ll figure this out on your own._

And again.

_To: Theo  
Just don’t make me wait too long. I don’t want to hear you whining about how Liam’s beautiful or your soul mate._

With friends like these... he was doomed. 


	27. Liam

One day.  
One more day and Theo would be free. He couldn’t begin to imagine how Theo felt, right now. If he was excited, then Theo had to be ecstatic. Tomorrow was the day they’d been waiting for. A month of waiting was finally coming to an end.  
“Liam! Let’s go!”

Theo had woken him early this morning, under the instruction they needed to be ready. They were meeting the Pack at the Animal Clinic to go over the plan for tomorrow. Within minutes Theo was outside, waiting by the truck. Shouting. Every. Two. Minutes. He gets it. They need to go, but shouting at him won’t make it any faster.

“Hurry up! If you’re not out here in one minute, I’m leaving without you!”  
It would be so much easier once the ritual was done. No more being rushed by nervous chimeras. He understood. He did. That didn’t change the fact it was _extremely_ annoying.  
“Okay, Theo! I’m coming!”  
Pulling the door shut, he let out a deep breath. Here we go. He turned around...  
...and froze.

Theo was gone. The truck was still parked in the driveway, and there was no sign of where Theo had been. Nor could he tell where Theo went.  
“Theo?”  
No answer.  
“Theo!”  
Still nothing. He was starting to worry. Theo wouldn’t... _leave_. Not now. Not ever.  
“Theo?!”

He ran to the street, but there was nothing. Theo had disappeared without a trace. As if Theo had never been there to begin with. Frantically pulling his phone from his pocket, he dialled Scott’s number, virtually screaming into the receiver.  
“Scott!” He continued speaking, but given the fact he was rushing to explain the situation, his words jumbled and turned incomprehensible.

“Liam. Slow down. I can’t understand what you’re saying.”  
Taking one deep breath after another, he tried to speak rationally. “Theo’s missing!”  
“What?” Instantly, Scott’s tone changed. There was a sudden concern that made him feel a little better. He wasn’t alone in this. The Pack would help him find Theo.

“We were getting ready to leave for the Animal Clinic, but by the time I came out, Theo was gone.”  
“Are you sure he didn’t just decide to come himself?”  
“No! Scott, his truck’s still here. He wouldn’t just leave. Not after everything. Not when he’s so close to breaking the curse.”  
He was getting desperate. Someone had taken Theo. It was the only explanation. Theo was in trouble, and he had to find him. He _needed_ to find him. _Please_ , let Theo be okay.  
“Meet us at the Clinic. We’ll figure this out. We’ll find him. I promise, Liam.”

Without another word, he hung up and ran. It would have been faster to drive, but he didn’t have the keys. It only made him angrier to think that someone had kidnapped Theo. They were going to regret ever laying a hand on Theo, once he found them.


	28. Theo

The world swum around him, nauseatingly unstable. Blinking, he was none the wiser as to where he was or how he got here. Everything was dark, and his head hurt too much to do more than glance into it. His arms ached, his wrists seemingly held above his head. He could barely move. Aside from the stiffness in his muscles and joints, he physically couldn’t use his limbs.  
Suddenly, he heard a switch being turned on, filling the the room with blinding light. He squinted against its unexpected brightness, swallowing the wave of nausea that threatened to spill at the pain shooting through his head.  
“It’s about time you woke up.”  
The harsh, malicious voice was grating to his already strained senses. He fought back the urge to be sick, in an attempt to gain his bearings. Slowly, his eyes adjusted and the room came into focus. The first thing he noticed was the man in front of him. Cruel grin, gun strapped to the hip, hate filled eyes... A hunter.

The next piece of identifiable information was that he was, in fact, tied up. He remained bound by chains suspended from the ceiling, his arms tied above his head, legs shackled to bars along the ground. Well, that explained his immobility. The chains were wrapped tight enough to be painful; the constrictive steel cutting into his wrists and ankles.  
The room he was in was large and otherwise empty. There was no table of tools this time, so at least torture appeared to be off the table. It wasn’t a guarantee, though. There was always more than one way to torture someone, and far more creative ones than just using tools.  
“I see you’ve realised what’s happening.”  
Oh, how he wanted to wipe that smug grin off the man’s face.  
“Not hard. To tell.” It was difficult to form the words. He was still trying to catch his breath. “What- did you- do- to me?”

The grin grew wider, stretching as far as humanly possible. It was unsettling, to say the least.  
“A little potion I concocted, with a little help from a friend. A combination of wolfsbane mixed with mistletoe and anchored by magic.”  
Great. _More_ magic. Just what he wanted to hear.  
“The effects should be wearing off soon. You’ll be back to yourself in no time.”  
The hunter walked away, leaving him to try and understand what was in store for him. If it wasn’t to torture him, then what did they want? If it *was* about torture, how were they planning to do it? He wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

He had no idea how long he’d been here, when he finally felt a semblance of his usual strength, hindered only by the chains, return. Soon after, it came back completely. Now, if only he could break these chains.  
“That won’t work.”  
The hunter was back. Just what he needed.  
“It’s coated in a spell. One that can’t be broken. It’s prevents any damage.”  
“Let me go. Now.”  
“And, why would I do that?” Smug. The man was just so smug. One swipe is all it would take to prove who’s in control.  
“When I get out of these, I’ll kill you.” He snarled. He was well past trying to contain his anger.  
“Oh, I assure you, you won’t hurt me.”  
Did this man seriously think he’d go along with whatever they had planned willingly? He’s not stupid, and he won’t go down without a fight.  
“Try me. I dare you.”

A challenge flickered through the hunter’s eyes. Eerily cocky for someone facing a chimera alone. The chains were untied one at a time, legs first, grin never slipping. The moment he was out, he lunged forward, prepared to tear the man apart.  
“Freeze.”  
His body seized; every muscle, every joint locking in place. He stood mid-pounce, arms extended towards the man’s throat, legs poised to jump at any moment. The hunter stood mere centimetres in front of him, and yet, he couldn’t move. All it would take is one swipe of his claws, and he could watch the man clutch at his throat, before dropping to the floor. One swipe that was now impossible.  
The hunter leant over to whisper in his ear, making him shiver at the uncomfortable proximity. “I know.”  
He swallowed, fear rising. This was the worst possible outcome. It was one of the reasons he’d been so adamant about breaking the curse, as soon as possible. There was no telling what this man would make him do. There was no way to know how many people would be hurt in the process.

“If you’re going to kill me, just do it.”  
Please, _please_ , let that be all. He couldn’t be responsible for hurting anyone else. He couldn’t be responsible for tearing the town apart.  
“Why would I do that, when I can make you?”  
The smile turned sadistic. There was nothing but malice behind it, and he was afraid to know what was about to happen. “I’m just getting started.”


	29. Liam

“We can’t just stand here! Who knows what they’re doing to Theo? We’re wasting time, when we should be out there looking.”  
This was ridiculous! According to Scott, he needed to calm down. _Calm down!_ How was he supposed to calm down, when someone could be killing Theo as they spoke?!

“I understand, Liam. That’s why we need a plan. We can’t just roam the town aimlessly. The Sheriff said he’ll send his deputies to search the town itself. We need to eliminate potential hideouts, in order to reduce the search area.”  
 _The Sun. The Moon. The Truth.  
The Sun. The Moon. The Truth.  
The Sun. The Moon. The Truth._

He needed to breathe. If he lost control, he would be of no use to Theo. He had to _try_ to maintain a level head.  
“Okay.” Deep breath. “Where are we?”

Scott had already crossed off the usual hideouts. Sheriff Stilinski had ordered they be checked first, and they’d come back empty. The usual hunters’ and threats were still in prison, and Monroe hadn’t been anywhere nearby. He knew her scent like the back of his hand, and it wasn’t there. Which meant there was a new player in town.

That left a lot of unknown factors and countless possible hiding spots. It would take hours to check all of them. They didn’t have that long. They needed to find Theo as soon as possible. Before Theo was hurt, or worse still, killed.  
“This is hopeless! There has to be a better way!” He can’t just stand around while Theo is... who knows what they’re doing to Theo. The Pack were silent; no one wanted to broach the subject. No one wanted to risk setting him off, apparently. Even Mason and Lydia didn’t say a word. Lydia, who always knew what to say and his best friend. Neither felt comfortable responding. Well, forgive him for being worried. Forgive him for being worked up when someone had _kidnapped Theo_.

He didn’t even _know_ what Stiles was doing. All he knew was that Stiles had been typing away on a computer, for the past ten minutes. Too preoccupied apparently to let the rest of them in on what was so important.

He wanted to break Scott’s phone when it rung. They needed to focus and Scott was distracted by whoever was calling. It had _better_ be about Theo.  
“Sheriff?”  
That captured his attention immediately. If Stiles’ father was calling, then it had to be important.

“You did? That’s great. No, no, I understand. Thank you, Sheriff.”  
He waited as patiently as he could, (which wasn’t much), as Scott continued talking. Finally, the call ended and he could hopefully get some answers.  
“Well?”  
“One of your neighbours had a security camera installed recently.”  
That was news to him.  
“Stiles’ dad checked it, and they saw someone dragging Theo into a red car, before driving away.”

“Why didn’t Theo call out? Theo wouldn’t let them take him without a fight.” He didn’t like the look he received from Scott. Whatever was coming next, wasn’t good. “What happened, Scott?”  
“The person who kidnapped Theo, threw some kind of object at him. It emitted an odourless vapour which clung to Theo, rendering him unconscious almost instantly.”

He was livid. 100% livid.  
“Someone drugged Theo?!”  
“Liam, you need to-”  
“No, Scott! Don’t tell me to calm down! Someone _drugged_ , Theo! That is _not_ okay!”  
“I know, but-”  
“No! No, buts. Please tell me Stiles’ dad knows where he went?”  
“They’ve been tracking the registration plate, but it looks like he changed cars at some point. They lost sight of him on camera near the school, but they checked and the high school’s empty. Stiles’ dad and the deputies are trying to find the car-”

“We don’t have time, Scott!”  
Mason finally stepped closer, trying to ease his nerves, but he couldn’t. He can’t just _stand here_ while Theo’s out there, possibly _dying_ , and-  
“Got it!” Stiles’ shout left the room silent and effectively cutting off Scott’s protest. All eyes were on Stiles, who couldn’t stop grinning. This had better be good. “I found the car!”

He didn’t know how Stiles did it, and he didn’t need to. Something about a code Danny had shown Stiles during high school one time. It enabled some form of electronic tracking device or Beacon. Honestly, he didn’t understand a word Stiles said, and he didn’t care. All he needed to know was _where_.  
“There’s an abandoned warehouse out of town. It’s about twenty minutes passed the border.”

That’s all he needed to know. He dragged Stiles by the arm to where he found the Jeep. Ignoring the squawked protests from Stiles and the Pack’s calls to wait. He was done waiting. It was time to find the hunter, and this time, he wasn’t going to go easy.


	30. Theo

A scream tore through the air. Followed instantly by another, and another and another. He gasped for breath, the air around him becoming harder to hold onto. No sooner had he taken in a deep breath, than it was gone. Forced out on yet _another_ scream. His throat was hoarse and raw, almost too sore to speak.

He stood in the same spot as when he’d realised how bad the situation was. The same spot he’d been frozen to ever since the hunter had uttered those two words. Two words which made all the difference. His shirt lay in strips on the floor, shredded and torn from his body effortlessly. Blood covered his chest and arms from the sliced cuts lining his skin.

It felt endless, as if it had been an eternity already. In reality, it had to have been at least an hour. The worst part, was that he was the cause. Every cut, every slice was inflicted by his own hand. The hunter meant it when declaring he’d be made to do it himself. It was one command after another.  
It didn’t stop.

He wanted it to end. Please, just let it end. The next scream came out half silent, the lack of air catching up. The next had no sound at all.  
“That’s enough. Stop.”  
His hand dropped, finally rendered motionless. For once, he was relieved to be still. It was movement that scared him more than anything, right now. The inevitable motions which would only bring renewed pain.  
“Having fun, yet?”  
He glared weakly at the man in front of him. He hadn’t felt such hatred since the Dread Doctors and the war. “You _will_ regret this.”  
All he received in return was an amused laugh.

“How exactly do you plan to do that? How do you plan to free yourself, when your bound to me? I can compel you to obey my every word, and you think you can escape?”  
Ignore it. Don’t let this arrogant, smug hunter get to you.

“Admit it. You’ve lost, and you know it. You’re only way out was the ritual tomorrow, and we both know that’s not happening anymore.”  
That was the last straw. The final thread holding him together. As much as he didn’t want it to be, it was true. It was beginning to look more and more likely, that he would miss the designated time altogether. Even if by some miracle, he _did_ manage to break out and could make it in time, he’d never be able to perform the ritual. Not like this.

If he managed to survive this, he’d be trapped with the curse for another year. An _entire year_. He had been _so_ close. One day. _Just one day_ from freedom, and now this. He should have known something would happen. It was all too easy.  
“I could make you do anything. There’s just so many options to choose from. What next? Remove an eye? Slice an ear? Cut off your tongue?”

This was possibly one of the worst situations he’d ever found himself in. It was easily the most dangerous. The man was enjoying this. It provided a sense of pleasure for the hunter, and nothing presented more danger than a sadist.  
“Just kill me.” At least then, he’d be out. It wasn’t the preferable option, but it was better than staying here. It was better than being forced to inflict his own torture. It was better than living with the knowledge he’d never see Liam again. Knowing that was what hurt the most. Knowing that Liam would be looking for him, and he was just too far away. He didn’t know how he knew, but something told him they weren’t in Beacon Hills, anymore.

“I would, but then you’d be of no use to me.”  
Of all hunters, of all the people who could have taken him, why did it have to be this one? Why did he have to get the one who wanted nothing more than to inflict pain on the supernatural?  
“You see, I have a few questions for you.”  
He actually laughed at that. It was just so ludicrous. Why do hunters always think we’ll turn on each other? Excluding his past from the conversation. That didn’t count. This was about loyalty, and Pack don’t betray one another. Just because he wasn’t part of Scott’s Pack, didn’t mean he would throw them under the bus to save himself. Not anymore.

“I’m not telling you anything.” He refused to give this man the satisfaction.  
“I’m afraid you won’t have a choice.” That smug grin left him nauseous. It was sickening how much pleasure the hunter was getting from this. “Now. Tell me. Where’s your Pack?”  
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve been a little busy, what with the abduction and all.”  
Finally. An irritated glare was sent his way, and he couldn’t be more pleased. It was about time he showed this man who he was. He wasn’t about to take this lying down.

“I already checked their houses. I also checked their childhood homes, but there was no sign of them.”  
Now, it was his turn to growl. All he could think of was Jenna and David. He knew Liam and the Pack themselves would be out, but Liam’s parents... Then there’s Melissa, the Sheriff, Ms Martin and Mr and Mrs Hewitt. Corey’s parents were thankfully out of town for business, but the others... They could be home. They could be in danger.  
“Isn’t that adorable. The Chimera is protective of his pets.”  
If only he could move, he’d teach the hunter a lesson. _No one_ calls the Pack’s families pets. “Stay away from them.”

“Don’t worry. Your pretend parents are of no concern to me. Tell me where your friends hang out.”  
Grinding his teeth, he tried to stifle his answer, but it was futile. There was no resisting the effects of the curse. He really did have no choice but to answer. “The Animal Clinic.”  
He wanted to be sick at the smile he saw. The pure glee in that one expression. The hunter left without so much as a word, leaving him to mull over the fact he’d given the Pack up. As much as he refused to betray Scott and the others, he had given them away. Unwillingly, yes, but it had happened nonetheless, and he would never forgive himself for that.

He was on the verge of screaming, when the door to the room finally opened. Behind the hunter, he saw them. All of them. _The Pack_. All of whom were unconscious. One by one, he was forced to watch as those who he now considered his friends, were suspended as he had been earlier. He was forced to watch as each one was gagged.  
“You sadistic- and you call _us_ the monsters.”

“You won’t believe how easy it was.” He never wanted to hear that grating laugh again. “There I was, ready to drive to the Clinic as you so _helpfully_ supplied, and what do know. There they were. Just pulling in. It was like they’d been handed to me on a silver platter. In fact, they were in such a rush to find you, they failed to notice me or the potion I was carrying.“I won’t stand here and watch you hurt them.” His growl was downright murderous. He couldn’t just stand here and… and _watch_. He just _can’t_.  
“Why, of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. I’d never make you watch that.”  
Oh no. Don’t say…

“I fully intend for _you_ to be the one responsible for their stay.”  
He might _actually_ be sick this time. The thought of hurting the Pack, of hurting Liam... it was terrifying. The fact he couldn’t prevent it either, made it all the more frightening. One word. One command. That’s all it would take. In this moment, he stood to lose everything he’d worked so hard for.  
“You hunt us, and yet _you’re_ the barbaric one!”  
“I think I’ve heard just about enough from you.” The hunter stated apathetically, handing him a knife without sparing him a single glance. “Cut your tongue off.”

His eyes widened as his body moved on its own, knife in hand and inching ever closer to his open mouth. A garbled cry sounded as he carried out the order. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill any moment now.

It was at that same moment he noticed the Pack begin to stir. This was it. This was the moment he lost them for good. No one would want anything to do with him after this. Not even Liam. Once they were aware enough to understand where they were, they begun to fight against their restraints. Liam’s eyes were the first to find him, followed soon after by the rest of the Pack. A muffled cry emerged from behind the material securing Liam’s mouth.

He wished he could call out. He wished he could say something. _Anything_.  
“I’m afraid Theo can’t talk, right now. There was an incident involving a knife and his tongue.” The hunter had the nerve to grin.  
Stiles and Scott were staring at him in confusion and disbelief. They’d come all this way to save him, and yet here he was, untied and standing up. Whilst they were now being held prisoner. He could see the suspicion in Malia’s eyes. The hatred. If only he could explain. If only he could tell them that he was as much a prisoner as any of them.

He couldn’t help but notice though, that Liam didn’t hold a trace of doubt. Those beautiful blue eyes were devoid of any suspicion or question. All he saw was concern and fear. Liam hadn’t doubted him for a moment, and that’s what broke him the most. That blind trust.  
“An obedience curse is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?”

He tried to hold the tears back, as he saw the realisation softening Stiles and Scott’s features; their confusion replaced by concern and sympathy. Malia still held her disdain for him, but the immediate suspicion faded to its usual presence. He also saw the moment they realised, just how much danger they were really in.

“You all think you’re so strong. You think you’re invincible. Well, I’m here to remind you that isn’t true. I’m here to remind you just how mortal you are.”  
This wasn’t good. He _really_ didn’t want to know where this was going.  
“You might be supernatural, but I’m the one with all the power. In fact, if I wanted to, I could make you kill every last one of them.”

His breath hitched, before failing him altogether. It was so much worse than he’d imagined.  
“One by one, leaving the blond-haired beta until last. We all know he holds a special place in your heart.”  
He couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. They started flowing freely down his cheeks; the threat all too real to ignore.  
“You, on the other hand, are going to stay here. You’ll be the latest addition to my zoo.”

He felt sheer panic settle in his chest. The hunter revealed a shocking secret that he had been unaware of, despite spending the better part of the day here. What he had previously thought to be an exterior wall, was actually a folding wall between two rooms. As the wall was pulled back, he felt his heart stop again at the sight before him.

A string of cages containing supernatural beings of every kind. They ranged from werewolves to berserkers. There was even a witch, and some of whom he’d thought to be extinct or a myth. He could barely see some of them. The room was so crowded, a lot were lost in the sea of faces.

His heart broke at the sight of so many held against their will. Locked up like prizes. Displayed like _trophies_. It took him a moment to realise that none were moving. They were all motionless. As if they were statues rather than living, breathing beings. It was as if… _magic_. Why was it _always_ magic? His gaze travelled back to the witch, only to find her staring at him. Without pause. It was deeply unsettling. It was-

Hold on. He _knows_ that witch. That’s the witch who cursed him! While every other occupant stared mindlessly into space, she looked directly at him. Wordlessly. She made no attempt to speak or interact beyond that endless stare. Unable to meet her gaze any longer, he shifted to look at his feet. He stopped halfway; eyes fixed on her hands. The same hands, which were bound by a metal link he’d never seen before. A faint glow was emitted from the binds, a clear sign of the magic involved.  
How long had she been imprisoned here?  
“I believe you know my friend here. She’s the one who helped me to procure the potion, that trapped you and your Pack.”

He should have known. This time however, her usual emotionless eyes held intense regret. The hunter had as much control over the witch and her powers, as he did him.  
“It took a lot of time and effort to obtain such specimens, especially the more obscure and challenging ones.”  
The way he spoke about these people was downright cruel. Even he had never been this evil.

“It pays to have a witch at your beck and call. My last one is no longer with us, but this one has proved to be invaluable. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I only keep the most unique of each creature. That’s where you come in. The first chimera, cursed and free from hell-”  
He flinched at the unwanted reminder.  
“-definitely qualifies. I’m sure you can guess what happens to the rest.”  
No. No, this couldn’t be happening.  
“Kill them.”

No. No, this wasn’t real. This _can’t_ be real. He approached the Pack, unable to stop. He’d long since given up trying to hide his tears. He was crying whether he liked it or not. There was nothing he could do to change it, just as he couldn’t control his own body. Liam’s urgent cries, still muffled by the gag, only made it worse.  
Mouthing an “I’m sorry”, he continued to move forward.

Towards Stiles. His heart clenched at the sight of Stiles’ wide eyes, the boy struggling with the restraints. His arm lifted against his will, claws extended.

Stiles managed to push the gag down, (how, he didn’t know), and recited what sounded like Latin. It was too hard to concentrate on the words. He was aware of one thing, and that was his clawed hand swiping at Stiles.


	31. Stiles

He closed his eyes, unable to look as he awaited the attack, and in turn, his final moments. He waited, and waited... and waited, but the collision never came. Slowly opening his eyes, afraid of what he’d see, he found Theo. Standing in front of him, hand down.

“I said kill them.” The hunter was confused, as was he, and more than a little angry. This clearly hadn’t been part of the plan, but he for one was glad. It was good to know he was still breathing.  
Along with Scott, Lydia and the others, he watched as Theo didn’t move. He saw the way Theo’s muscles tensed, as if worried about the compulsion to follow through on the order, but nothing happened.

A moment later, he watched as Theo’s eyes flashed, gold seeping into the irises. In the time it took him to blink, Theo had turned and lunged for the hunter. The same hunter who stumbled back, shrieking “Stop!” As the man lost balance and tripped, landing hard against the stone floor, Theo loomed above. Fuming, a murderous glint in his eyes.

Liam and Scott were nearly screeching with the force of their cries. Begging Theo not to go through with it. Their pleas, muffled as they were, remained unheard by Theo, who seemed aware only of the man cowering in front of him.  
Seconds before Theo’s clawed hand touched the hunter, a sudden gust of wind knocked Theo back. Wind... in a room. It all made sense when he saw the witch, standing in between Theo and the hunter.

He could hear words, too soft and rushed to make out, but recognisable as Latin nonetheless. The hunter was casting a spell. The spell, desperate as it was, cut off without a sound. The man’s lips were moving, but nothing came out. A closed fist raised towards the hunter provided an explanation. That said, it took a moment for the man himself to realise. When it did, there was a scurried attempt to escape on the hunter’s part, but the witch merely tightened her grip, rendering the man immobile.

“Thank you for freeing me.” She met his gaze evenly, and all he could do was nod. “My predecessor remained a prisoner for well over three decades with this... _vermin_.”  
He didn’t miss the disgust in her voice. He was sure no one had. It was obvious in both her words and her eyes. They were filled with a greater rage and hostility, than he’d previously thought possible.

“Forced to impose the destructive and harmful impulses of a vile lifeform. You have saved me from suffering a similar fate, and for that, I owe you a great obligation.”

“Get out of my way.” Theo was seething, and apparently unconcerned by the fact this was a witch they were talking to.  
Despite the gag still lodged firmly in place, he heard Liam’s groan. Saw the fear in Liam’s eyes. He knew in that moment, that this was the very witch who’d cursed Theo. The same witch Theo was speaking to with no concern for anyone’s safety, let alone Theo’s own well-being.

“I cannot allow you to bring harm upon this vermin. You will not survive the assault. It will destroy you.”  
The fact she refused to identify the hunter as a man caught his attention. Not once had she referred to him as human. Instead, she made it clear she thought of him as inferior and undeserving of maintaining dignity.

“You cursed me! You forced me to listen to _every_ command given. You made me a _slave_! The only reason we’re here is because you took away my right to speak for myself. You took away my right to have a say and think for myself. Why should I care about the fact you were held prisoner, when that’s _exactly_ what you did to me?” Theo was furious. He couldn’t imagine what it was like to be forced to torture yourself. Somehow, he knew that’s what had happened. They’d all seen the cuts. Theo’s torn chest and discarded shirt. They’d all heard the way the hunter spoke about ‘the incident’. There was no way a man as cruel as that wouldn’t use the curse to its full potential.

He knew what it was like to be controlled, and how it felt to fear for your friends and the people you care about. He knew what that unadulterated fear felt like.

“Your anger is justified. I may have delivered an impulsive punishment before due time. The decision weighed the benefits and intended shame, above the probability of inherent liabilities. I fear it returned an inaccurate conclusion. The threat to one’s self and all those who reside in the town failed to be evaluated. I have fallen prey to my own mistakes, and for that, you have my deepest apologies.”

Theo wasn’t taking this well. Apology or not, Theo was angry. Not only that, but Theo was hurt, ashamed and scared. After what little he’d seen of what had transpired in the past two hours, he honestly didn’t blame Theo.

“I don’t want an apology. I _want_ to prevent that sadistic creature from hurting anyone else. He doesn’t deserve to go free!” Halfway through the response, Theo started screaming. The horror of the day rushing to the surface, demanding to be faced. He saw in Theo’s deep-set eyes and the tension filling every inch of Theo’s body, the unwillingness to face the events that had transpired. There was an undeniable degree of emotion, lying dormant, that Theo was afraid to trigger. There was also the undeniable pain at the thought of the hunter being let off, when Theo was still cursed.

“I assure you, there is no possibility of such an injustice occurring. The vermin shall be held accountable for all of his crimes.” He had a feeling whatever the witch had planned, was far worse than anything Theo could do. The hunter knew that as well, judging by the pure fear in his eyes. “Prior to my departure, I shall offer you a reprieve. You have paid a heavy price for your indiscretions.” She laid a hand on Theo’s chest; an action which left Theo frozen. Seconds later, her hand dropped with no sign of any spell present. Her magic appeared effortless. “I shall offer protection and freedom for the souls held captive. The vermin will experience dire consequences for his unforgivable actions.”

Without so much as a whisper, the room was emptied of all outside of the Pack. The witch disappeared in the blink of an eye, taking both the hunter and every supernatural being with her. He hoped those held captive would be okay.  
The chains binding them also disappeared, sending them all crashing to the ground. A final act of kindness and repentance.

Scott was the first to speak. “Is everyone safe?”  
A round of confirmations followed. Theo remained quiet and off to the side, but relatively okay? At the very least, Theo was alive and standing. That had to count for something. It’s the invisible scars they had to worry about. This would take a terrible toll on Theo. They both knew what it was like to be forced to commit an act against your will, and Theo had to relive that. Liam had already made his way over to offer comfort, and Theo needed all that he could get after everything that had happened.

“How did you free the witch?” It was Mason who asked, and a fair question.  
“A simple unbinding incantation.” He was met with a room full of blank stares. “I’ve been researching.” Now, he was faced with an assortment of surprise and confusion. “What? Theo’s been cursed so many times, I thought it would be better to be prepared.”

The conversation was broken by a sudden shout.  
“Theo!”  
As the Pack turned to see what had caused the commotion, he spotted the reason instantly. Or rather, he didn’t. It wasn’t what he could see, but rather what he couldn’t.

Theo was gone.


	32. Theo

He had to get out of there. He couldn’t stay there with them. The Pack.  
 _Liam_.

Standing there, listening to Scott asking if they were safe was too hard. They could have been hurt. They could have been _killed,_ and it would have been his fault. He didn’t belong here. He’d never belong around people this caring. He’d never be good enough.

He ran, letting his feet guide him. He didn’t know where he was or where he was going. He’d been right in thinking they were out of Beacon Hills, and it left him disoriented immediately. Not that it matters. It was better to get use to the unfamiliar and the discomfort now. It’s not like he’d be going back. There was no point missing something that had never really been his to begin with.

Nonetheless, he found himself wanting to see Jenna and David. He wanted to hear David laugh and feel Jenna’s welcoming hugs. He wanted to watch movies with Liam, play video games with Stiles and just talk to Mason and Corey. He wanted to go back. To go home.

Somehow, he’d come to feel at peace with Liam’s family. All he had to be was himself, and it was a weight off his shoulders. He had started to believe that maybe, _just maybe_ , he could have it all. But that had been foolish. He’d tried to warn himself from the start. He’d tried to warn himself not to fall for the calm and sense of security they offered. In the end, it had all been for nothing.

He’d fallen in as deep as one could go, and now he had to leave. Now he had to live with missing what he’d come to love.

His feet gave way, sending him into a crumpled heap on the ground. Leaves and stones were scattered around him, the ground consisting mostly of dirt. It was a patch of land away from the road and isolated from any buildings. His chest and arms ached from the deep cuts still lining his skin. Some had already healed, but others had yet to finish repairing the wounds. There were many still restitching torn skin back together. Pulling his legs under him, he sat up and let his head rest on his knees.

Footsteps sounded softly from behind, closing in with each step. If he’d had any energy left, he’d pull away, but he couldn’t bring himself to move even an inch. He refused to look up as the unexpected guest stopped directly beside him. The person’s presence was familiar, but not one of the Pack. As they sat down next to him, he waited. Surely, they’d say _something_ if they’d come all this way.  
“Theo.”

He knew that voice. Belladonna.  
“This is not how I had hoped to meet. A peaceful encounter would have been favourable.”  
That didn’t seem possible anymore. How did she even know to come? Just like their first meeting, she seemed to be able to read his thoughts, as she answered only a moment later.

“Liam contacted me. I’m relieved you gave your friend my number.”  
He wasn’t sure he agreed.  
“Liam informed me of what has transpired. You have certainly experienced more than your fair share of struggles recently.”  
That was one way of explaining it. It was a never-ending series of disasters. He just wanted it to end.

“The words to ‘offer a reprieve’ combined with the intentional positioning of a hand over your heart, would suggest the curse has been revoked. I can provide confirmation if you’d like.”  
He looked up at that, facing Belladonna for the first time since she arrived. Trying to calm his racing heart, he nodded eagerly. The idea that the witch might have actually helped him... He’d thought he was stuck like this. That he’d have to spend another year with this curse, if not for life. He’d thought he was still being punished, but maybe…

He paused, worried something had changed when Belladonna’s eyes widened and she clasped a hand to her mouth.  
“Theo! What did that barbarian do to you?”  
He didn’t understand what had caused the sudden shock, until he noticed her eyes on his chest. Oh, right. It did look rather severe. He held his breath, as Belladonna’s hand landed gently against the worst of the cuts, pressing lightly on his upper chest. He watched in awe as the rate at which they were healing increased, leaving behind only a few scars. Those too would fade in time.

“Now that has been addressed, we can begin.” This time, he watched on in nervous anticipation, trying not to panic at the sudden proximity to his heart. She was helping. Belladonna wouldn’t hurt him. She wouldn’t do that to him. When she pulled back, he looked at her pleadingly. He needed good news. He couldn’t handle anything less. It would break him. Her smile brought tears to his eyes; the sheer relief too much to contain.

“Liam also apprised me of the incident involving your tongue.”  
How could he forget? It had yet to grow back; his strength had apparently been too depleted at the time to heal it. He was scared it was permanent. The possibility of never speaking again... it might not be the worst thing he’d experienced, (technically), but it was terrifying nonetheless.  
“I can attempt to mend it for you.”  
She...  
Did Belladonna mean...

He couldn’t do anything more than stare, waiting as she once again raised not one, but two hands. One came to rest on his cheek, whilst the other cupped his jaw. He felt the warmth flood the nerves in his mouth, tracking its trailing motion towards the central point. The prickling sensation fixated on where his tongue would be, pulsating rhythmically. Soon, he felt the presence of something new. He let out stuttering breaths, trying to regulate his emotions. It wasn’t working. Tears flowed freely. He had been afraid this wouldn’t be possible.

“Your healing was impeded by the excessive amount of stress and use. It simply required a renewed energy source.”  
“Thank you.” He didn’t know what else to say. Nothing felt like enough, given the circumstances. Without Belladonna’s help, he’d have likely remained mute. “You don’t- you don’t know what this means.”  
“You are quite welcome, Theo. I am grateful I could offer you solace.”  
They sat in silence for a few moments, neither needing to speak. Unfortunately, like everything, it couldn’t last forever. Belladonna was the first to broach the subject.

“Your friends are concerned for you.”  
He didn’t respond. What was there to say?  
“They fear for your well-being. They worry that you are not thinking rationally.”  
“I’m fine. If anything, this is the most rational I’ve been in a long time. I’ve finally decided to stop pretending. I’m not one of them, and it’s time I accepted that.”

“I know you’re hurting, Theo, but I think if you take the time to look, you’ll realise you belong here.”  
“I’m a monster, Belladonna. I nearly killed Stiles!” He was shouting, but he couldn’t stop. The emotions he’d been suppressing since those fatal words were spoken, became too much to bear. It was an avalanche of feelings, and he could do nothing but wait it out. “I nearly killed them all! If it hadn’t been for Stiles, I would have! I’m dangerous!” His voice petered out, dropping to a resigned whisper. “I can’t stay here. I can’t risk their safety. I just can’t.”

Belladonna didn’t say anything at first. She sighed after a moment, and offered him a sad smile. “I understand how you’re feeling, Theo. There was a time, I too, believed myself too large a risk. I fled my home late one night, and not a day goes by that I don’t regret that fateful decision. Although I returned, I had lost a year with my family. A year I cannot retrieve. It serves as a painful regret to carry, and one I shall take with me for the remainder of my life. I do not wish for you to understand that burden.”

He glanced down, unable to meet her eyes. She was right. He knew he’d regret leaving, but he had to. It was the only way to keep them safe.  
“Liam has asked for me to bring you back safely. Do you wish to return, or would you find it more comfortable if I brought Liam to you?”

His eyes snapped up, once again pleading for Belladonna to understand. “No! Please, I’m- I’m not ready to face him. I can’t face anyone.”  
“Fear not, Theo. I shall not reveal your location without your explicit consent. If you require more time, I won’t judge. It is perfectly reasonable to crave distance and time to yourself, after such an ordeal.”

He breathed out, tension seeping away steadily. Belladonna’s words ran through his mind, fighting for dominance. Could he really stay here? Was there truly a place for him? Was it possible for him to be around the Pack without endangering them?

He couldn’t deny that he wanted to. He wanted to stay. To try. To be with his friends. His Pack? That last one might be a little too hopeful. Most of all, he wanted to be with Liam. It might be selfish, but he didn’t want to give up the friendship they’d forged. He didn’t want to lose the constant support Liam offered, regardless of the situation. Assuming of course, that Liam could forgive him for what occurred at the warehouse.

Wiping away the remaining tears, he took a deep breath before turning to Belladonna. “I’m ready. I’d like to go back.”  
“You’re making the right decision, Theo.”  
He certainly hoped so.  
“I think you’ll find your friends understand more than you give them credit for.”  
Maybe Belladonna was right. He was about to find out, one way or another. He took her hand when she held it out to him, and in a matter of seconds, they were outside the hunter’s hideout.

Steps away from the Pack.


	33. Liam

“We are not leaving without Theo!”  
“He’s the one who ran off. I’m not wasting the day looking for someone who chose to leave.”

Malia was really starting to test his patience. After what Theo had clearly been through, he was bound to be unsettled. How could she suggest they leave Theo out here? Alone? Theo needs someone to be there for him. What Theo _doesn’t_ need is to be abandoned.  
“How dare you?! He needs our help!”  
“So, you help him. I’m going home.”  
He was about to respond and tell Malia _exactly_ what he thought of her callousness, when he noticed the appearance of another two figures nearby. Turning slightly, he gasped.  
“Theo!”

He was ready to run over, but stopped when he saw Theo flinch. Right. Too soon. He needed to be calm and quiet. Anything more would be overwhelming, so soon after escaping the hunter.

“Are you okay?”  
Theo just nodded, seemingly unable to speak. Oh, no. “Wait, your-”  
“I’m fine.” Those two words allowed him to feel a lot more at ease. What Theo must have been going through... he couldn’t begin to imagine how Theo felt in those moments. “Belladonna helped.”  
That explained the lack of injuries. Back in the warehouse, he’d seen countless cuts slashed deep into Theo’s skin, and yet now, there was no visible sign. The only physical reminder was the torn shirt that lay on the stone floor. Theo’s bare chest appeared otherwise untouched.

“Do you want to go home?”  
Theo was about to answer, when Malia interrupted and she was really starting to test his control.  
“Why would you let that murderer anywhere near you?”

Theo flinched, withdrawing from the group and falling silent... and now all he saw was red. He was _done_ listening to this.  
“Would you just shut up, Malia?! I’m so sick of you harassing Theo! He is _not_ a murderer.”  
“Liam, he _literally_ just tried to kill Stiles! Not to mention he killed his sister and his supposed Pack.”  
Theo withdrew further, distancing himself from the Pack. From the people who were meant to protect him.

“That was in the past, and he paid for that. Unfairly, I might add. As for Stiles, that wasn’t Theo’s fault. You know he wasn’t in control. The hunter was the only one responsible.”  
Malia just wouldn’t let up. The fact that Stiles took his side, and begun defending Theo as well, only angered her more. “It was Theo’s hand, so it’s Theo’s fault.”

Oh, that does it. He refused to let her talk about Theo like that. By the looks of it, Belladonna thought the same. He didn’t miss the reassuring hand she’d placed on Theo’s shoulder. Anchoring him. Before either of them could speak however, Scott got in first.  
“That’s enough, Malia. None of this is on Theo.” When it looked like Malia was going to protest, Scott continued. “I don’t want to hear any more. Go home and calm down.”

“I’m not going anywhere until _he_ is told to leave.”

“I said go home. I’ve watched you attack and insult Theo constantly, and it ends now.” It’s about time Scott put his foot down. Malia got away with far too much.

Theo visibly paled when Malia’s gaze locked on his. She better not-

“This was your plan all along wasn’t it? Pretend to be good. Pretend to be human and eventually turn us all against each other. You failed last time and I won’t let you do it again.” Malia was growling and stepping forward. Advancing on Theo.

Oh. Hell no.

She ran and lunged at Theo, who stumbled in his haste to get away and landed hard. Crawling backwards, Theo desperately tried to gain distance from Malia. He wasn’t about to let her hurt Theo. Not again. Except, when he tried to lunge at her, he found he couldn’t move. Or, at least not to attack. One look at the rest of the Pack proved they were all in the same position. Everyone was trying to come to Theo’s aid, but no one could take a more than a step forward. Not because they were stuck in one spot, but something was preventing them from reaching Malia.

It didn’t take long to figure out the cause. His eyes landed on Belladonna and the glowing light surrounding her. She was holding them back. She was preventing them from protecting Theo, but why? How could she leave Theo to Malia’s cruelty after she’d helped them? How could she just stand there and watch? He let his gaze linger on Theo, who lay shaking and afraid, back against a pole. Malia stood over him prepared to do who knows what, and he couldn’t help.

Turning back to scream for Belladonna to stop, it all became clear. He’d been so focused on the magic she was using to keep them back, that he’d missed the anger in her eyes. Only now did he realise Malia was also affected. Except unlike them, she couldn’t move at all.

Suddenly, Belladonna twirled her hand around and Malia followed the movement. Now facing Belladonna, everything changed.

“Let go of me.” Malia was furious.

“You act out of hate and hold on to unjustifiable anger. You respond through open hostility, leaving those in your path in pain without a second thought. Theo’s countless attempts to appease you remain unsuccessful, not from his lack of sincerity, but from your inability to accept the truth. You chose the hurtful path in which Theo is left to suffer alone, and I shall not permit it to continue.”

It was shocking to hear the pure rage in Belladonna’s voice. Sure, she’d been intimidating when they first met, but nothing compared to this. He was truly glad it wasn’t him on the other end of that glare. Oh, if looks could kill…

“Theo is nothing but a lying, manipulative murderer. He is _not_ in the Pack, and he _doesn’t_ belong here.”

The growl he’d been holding back slipped out. He could no longer contain it, when he saw the tears filling Theo’s eyes. All Theo wanted was to be accepted and forgiven, and whilst the rest of the Pack had, Malia just wouldn’t do the same.

“It is clear you will not alter your perspective without due cause. You require irrefutable proof before you’ll even consider the possibility Theo may have indeed changed. I’m not entirely certain you’d relent, even in the face of the undeniable truth. It would appear you require a more in-depth demonstration, if you are to gain the insight we wish to instil. Perhaps if I were to bestow a curse upon you, you would gain true insight and empathy.”

“Let. Me. Go!”

“The true question is which to impart? To return you to your human form; confining you to the body of a child? To take that which you are most comfortable with and alter it? To remove your willpower, thus rendering you powerless?” Belladonna meant every word. That much was clear. “Although, perhaps the true lesson would be to experience all three at once.”

Oh. This was not good.

No one had a chance to answer before a wave of light erupted from Belladonna. It wasn’t just her hands, either. Her entire body was alight with magic, and none was spared. Every last drop made its way to Malia. From behind, he saw Theo frantically trying to stand. He tracked Theo’s unsteady steps, moving towards Belladonna.

“Belladonna, stop! You can’t do this!”

‘Forgive me, Theo, but the time has come for Malia to truly comprehend your struggles.”

“This won’t help. It’ll only increase her hatred. You don’t need to do this. I’m not asking you to do this.” The pure desperation in Theo’s voice was growing by the second. As much as he understood the sentiment, he found he agreed with Belladonna. This was likely the only way, and if he were honest, he was a little pleased to see the outcome. After all the times Malia had taken advantage of Theo when he was cursed, Malia was finally going to know how that felt. Scott was still trying to break past the spell on them, but it was no use.

“The decision has been made, and I cannot permit any deviations. All actions contain consequences, and this is Malia’s. She brought upon herself.” The light seemed to come alive in that moment; growing in intensity, and shifting as though it held a beating heart. The magic begun pouring into Malia’s body at an ever increasing speed, until finally, the power behind it became too much. Malia passed out, and Belladonna let her magic recede. The spells holding them back faded, and Scott ran to Malia’s side. “Do not fear, Scott. She remains unharmed. Malia shall wake soon.”

He could hardly believe his eyes. There in Scott’s arms, was a nine-year-old Malia, in a boy’s body. It was fair to assume she was also human, and under the same obedience curse as Theo had been. It was decided that it was time to go. Scott would take Malia home to rest and explain the situation. It was going to be a rough night, (or few nights), when Malia realised the additional instructions involved. Belladonna was adamant that she would not allow Malia to return to her rightful body, until both he and Theo agreed. Knowing that her freedom lay in their hands would not go over well.

Corey and Mason drove together, Derek had his own car and he and Theo would head back with Stiles. Before leaving, Mason and Corey offered Theo a pat on the shoulder to convey their relief. The confusion in those green eyes was hard to watch. The fact Theo was now questioning their motives, and whether or not they believed him was heartbreaking.

Derek and Scott spoke to Theo, offering as much comfort as they could without becoming overwhelming, and promising they understood. They left with a final promise that Theo could talk to them anytimeThat only left Stiles, Belladonna and himself. Slowly, he and Stiles approached and his heart ached at how Theo pulled back. Pulled away from _him_. He stopped nearby, urging Stiles to do the same with only a look. It was easy, seeing as he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed Theo’s reaction.

“We won’t hurt you, Theo.”  
That was all it took for the last walls to break, and before he could respond, Theo was crying. He didn’t know what to do, anymore.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to. I’m sorry.” It was almost a mantra; as if somehow by repeating the words enough times, Theo would be forgiven. None of which was needed since there was nothing to forgive. Somehow, Theo didn’t get the message.  
“You don’t-”  
“Liam, I’m sorry. _Stiles_ -” The apology broke off in a loud sob, tears streaming freely now.

“You have nothing to apologise for.” It was Stiles who spoke this time, well aware of what this was about and with no intention of humouring such nonsense. “That is not on you.”  
“It is. Malia was right. I could have killed you. I came so close to-” Another sob. The tears increased. “I almost did. If you hadn’t-”  
“Listen to me, Theo. I won’t let you blame yourself. You were being controlled. Nothing that creep made you do is your fault. The hunter is the only one responsible. You have nothing, and I mean _nothing_ , to be sorry about.”

He watched as Theo looked between them uncertainly, leaning into Belladonna for support as the tears finally started to dry. It was small and unsure, but it was there nonetheless. A minute nod. It was used to appease them, more than it was true. It would take time to help Theo heal from this, but he had every intention of putting in the effort. He wouldn’t stop until he’d convinced Theo they meant it.

Easing his way closer, he kept his eyes on Theo, ensuring he wasn’t moving too fast. When he stood in front of the chimera, Theo collapsed into his arms. He just held on, neither rushing nor pushing for more. He would give Theo whatever was needed in this moment, and go from there.

Belladonna took this as her cue to leave, promising Theo she was here should he need anything. No matter how small. Even if it were simply to talk. They followed her lead and made their way to Stiles’ Jeep, Theo holding onto him the entire time. Not once did those arms drop; in fact, they tightened their grip on his waist when he shifted to sit down. Once they were all in and secure, he let out a sigh of relief.

They were on their way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the delay in uploading this chapter. Whilst editing, I realised it was missing something, and it took longer to resolve than anticipated. 😬🤭
> 
> One chapter to go. 😁😬🥺


	34. Theo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is. The final chapter for Part 3. 😁🤭🥺
> 
> I can’t believe I’m already halfway through this series. 😬😁
> 
> Thank you to everyone who have read and stayed with this story. Thank you to everyone for all of your comments and likes. It’s means the world to me. 🥰😁
> 
> Thank you to BambiiLove and Anonymous for all of your ideas and thoughts. Without you, chapter 24 wouldn’t have been possible and I would still be trying to resolve an aspect of an upcoming part to the series. 😁❤️
> 
> I hope y’all enjoy the chapter. 😁

The bed was soft. His eyes tired. It called to him. Beckoning him to lay down. To relent. Taunting him. He couldn’t take his eyes off those cool, welcoming blankets. The incredible cushioning of the pillow. Every instinct screamed at him to move, to leave the desk chair and just lay down.

One second. That’s all it would take.  
If he just closed his eyes, he could fall asleep.

Sleep. He hadn’t slept in days.  
Liam had insisted that he stay at their house, until he felt better. Until he was ready to go home. Unlike in the past, he didn’t put up a fight. After what just happened, the last thing he wanted was to be alone in his truck. To be out there, vulnerable and open to attacks. He’d thought that by staying here, he’d feel better. That it would help, but it hadn’t. Not as much as he’d hoped. Despite being back within familiar walls, he couldn’t find the usual feeling of peace. It was too obscured. Too muddled and lost amongst the memories.

He was terrified to close his eyes, to see what awaited him, and so he didn’t. He didn’t sleep. It had been five days, and he was awake. _Still_ awake. He was fine. He could hold out. Was he tired? Yes. Of course, he was. Anyone who remained conscious for that long would feel the side effects, but he didn’t care. He wouldn’t give in to the exhaustion. The alternative was far worse than a little sleep deprivation.

Unfortunately, Liam caught on to his plan, and let’s just say, it didn’t go well.

“Theo, you can’t stay awake forever.”

“I can try.” He muttered the words, but it did nothing to diffuse the situation. Liam’s anger flared at his insistence, and he was forced to listen to the inevitable rant which followed.

“You won’t heal, if you don’t rest.”  
“I don’t need to. I’m perfectly fine.” It was the truth. He’d stand by that no matter how many times he was asked.  
“No, you’re not! You barely eat, and you only hear half of what people say. Theo, you’re _literally_ shaking!”  
Was he? He hadn’t noticed. It’s all superficial, though. It would become easier as the long nights became routine. Soon, it would be second nature to him.  
“Liam-”  
“No! No, Theo. This has to stop. You can hardly look away from your bed. It’s been nearly a week since we got home, and you haven’t laid down once.”

And, Liam was right. He _was_ tired. Too tired to voice the denial he’d been ready to use, only a moment before. Too tired to hide or manage his thoughts. As much as he didn’t want to say it aloud, he couldn’t hold it in anymore. Secrets were just too exhaustive to maintain.  
“I can’t.”  
“You need to, Theo.”  
“I know, but I can’t.”

“Why not?” Liam wanted to know. He’d known that since he was de-aged. The question had been there ever since, lying just beneath the surface, but never raised. Liam had stayed true to his word and waited until he was ready to talk.  
“The nightmares.”  
Instantly, those blue eyes softened. Understanding replacing the previous confusion and frustration. There was no judgement. No dismissal. Instead, he saw acceptance and empathy.

“The same ones?”  
Nodding, he sighed and brushed a hand through his hair. “I can’t face her. I can’t feel that pain again. Not now.” Liam waited for him to continue; no interruptions; no questions. “It’s too real. It’s like I’m back there. Every time I close my eyes, I’m right back there in the morgue.”

That caught Liam’s attention more than the rest. An intensity that wasn’t there before, flared to life. Still, no questions were asked. It was up to him how much he shared. He could stop at any time, and Liam wouldn’t protest, but he wanted, no _needed_ , to explain.  
“Every time I close my eyes, I find myself in hell.” His voice wavered, and he ignored the startled gasp as he continued. “I wake in a body locker, only to emerge and be chased by Tara. Over and over, again. There’s no end. She keeps coming. She takes it back. _Every single time_.”

“Theo.” A whisper; more a breath than anything. In that one word, he heard all that Liam was trying to say. He understood the apology that went unspoken. The desire to do more. To ease the burden.  
“I’ve had the same nightmares, ever since you brought me back. It’s always the same, but now... it’s more than that. I’m scared of what I might see. I’m afraid that I’ll be there, poised to kill Stiles. I’m afraid I’ll be back in that warehouse, and this time, I won’t stop. I’ll kill Stiles. I’ll kill you all.”  
He wasn’t prepared for when Liam hugged him. In fact, he hadn’t even noticed that Liam had moved. The lack of sleep really was getting to him.

“I’m so sorry, Theo.” It came whispered, desperate. Like Liam needed him to hear those words.

It shouldn’t mean that much to him. It’s not Liam’s fault. He didn’t need the beta to apologise… Okay. Maybe he did. He’d never understood why _he_ was sent there. He never understood why _he_ was sentenced to such a horrific and _permanent_ punishment. It wasn’t fair, and that’s why those four words broke through. The final strands of strength holding him together fell apart, leaving him clutching onto Liam for dear life.  
“We never should have sent you there. We had no right to- going through that... the pain we caused you.”

The truth was, it still hurt. The Pack had deemed him dangerous enough to sentence him to an eternity of suffering. He’d never understand how that was better than killing him. They may not have known what would be involved, but it didn’t change the fact his punishment was hell. _Literal_ hell.

“Why did you?” His voice was whisper thin. It took all of his remaining strength to even form the words. Voicing the one question he’d held onto ever since that day, left him both lighter and nauseous. While it felt good to _finally_ ask, even without an answer, it was sickening to know that he couldn’t take it back. Knowing that the price of lifting that weight, even if only temporarily, was receiving an answer (whether he liked it or not) … it was daunting. Terrifying. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to hear what Liam had to say, but the wait was even worse.

Liam was just as emotional. The hard swallow. The closed eyes. The deep breath. It all pointed to an undeniable reality. The truth. When Liam’s eyes opened, it took all of his will not to run. Well, that and the fact he could barely move with how tired he was.  
“I don’t know.”

The words remained there, unprocessed and suffocating. An unforeseen outcome, they simply couldn’t find a place in his mind. A place where what he’d just heard made sense. He sat there, momentarily frozen, as the words _slowly_ begun to seep in. To gain meaning.

“You don’t know?” What started as a mere breath, turned into a humourless laugh. After countless hours, _days_ of wondering, he finally knew the truth. “Everything I went through, being tortured at the hands of my sister, and the best you can give me is ‘I don’t know?”

“I wish I could tell you more. Theo, I wish there was an explanation for all of this. I wish I knew what to say to make it all better, but the truth is, there was no reason. Not one that explains the decision. Noting which speaks for my own involvement. Honestly, I never knew what Kira was planning. None of us did. It wasn’t until we saw the ground opening and Tara appeared, that we realised what she had done. At first, I was in shock. I just froze. After that, I convinced myself it was for the best. I figured if you were trapped there, then we wouldn’t need to worry about you escaping. We wouldn’t need to fight for our safety and the safety of those around us anymore. I thought about the fact you weren’t innocent, and that maybe you deserved to face what you had done. To live with the consequences.”

His breath hitched; tears slipping in a visible trail along his cheeks. Hearing aloud that Liam thought he deserved it, _all of it,_ was unfathomably painful. He knew his past was lined with terrible mistakes, but did he really deserve to be trapped in that incessant loop? Did he really deserve to be confined to the greatest torture imaginable?

“Theo… that was then. I know better now. I know I was wrong. _We_ were wrong. It never should have happened, and I shouldn’t have allowed it to continue. I should have helped pull you out. I should have prevented Tara from ever taking you. I definitely should have freed you sooner, and not only because we needed your help. I should have freed you because it was the right thing to do. I should have freed you because no one, and I mean _no_ _one_ , should have to go through something like that.”

It was both the answer he’d been waiting for and the one he hadn’t. It provided clarity over a situation that had plagued him ever since that day, in turn relieving some of the pain he felt. At the same time, it left him shocked. Liam had essentially put his own thoughts into words. It gave validity to his fears and sense of betrayal. It told him he was right to be angry and upset. That he was justified in feeling like he had been wronged. It assured him that Liam was, in fact, sorry for the trauma he still lived with.

“I’m here, Theo. I’ll do whatever it takes to help you through this. I owe you that much.” Liam let go, and he felt cold at the lack of contact. The sudden distance between them. He wanted more. So much more, and in his exhausted state, he almost let himself try. He almost took the final step to make his feelings known. He found himself preparing to lean in, to kiss Liam and _finally_ know… but he didn’t. He stopped himself before he could start. It was the lack of sleep talking. His emotions getting the better of him. He had to stay in control. He had to maintain his common sense. It was too big a risk.

Those bright blue eyes met his, guilt and concern visible, and caused an unavoidable sigh. He didn’t want to be pitied or seen as a helpless victim. If that was the only reason Liam was helping him...  
“Liam, you don’t have to-”  
“I’m here, Theo.” Liam repeated, this time with more force. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to help. I want to be here for you. I want you to feel safe.”  
What he wouldn’t give to find such peace. That sense of security. To finally feel _safe_...  
He didn’t have the words to describe how much it would mean. There was no way to describe that level of sheer relief, over such a fundamental aspect of life.

  
“I know you’re scared, Theo, but you really do need to sleep.”  
A small whimper escaped. The thought of being back there, be it hell or that warehouse, was all too real. It would be like he was truly there, and he can’t, he just _can’t_...

Liam leant closer, returning a hand to his shoulder. It offered an instant reassurance. A promise that he wasn’t alone.  
“I’ll stay with you. I’ll be right there.” Liam spoke softly, infusing those few words with that unspoken promise. In that moment, he knew Liam wouldn’t leave. He knew he could lean on Liam, no matter what.

Nodding, he stood up with Liam’s help, (the fatigue making it nearly impossible to support his own legs), they made their way to the bed. It was as welcoming as he remembered. Liam, true to his word, laid down beside him. The blankets were pulled close; their warm embrace and the steady rhythm of Liam’s heartbeat lulling him to sleep.

~

And when he woke screaming, Liam was there.


End file.
